The recent series of attacks on religious leaders has made people ask whether or not something is wrong with the country.
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Kompas/Haris Firdaus
A police officer guards the Santa Lidwina Church in the Bedog area of Trihanggo village, Gamping district, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta, Sunday (11/2). On Sunday morning, a man armed with a sword attacked the church and wounded five people, namely a pastor, a police officer and three churchgoers.
The recent series of attacks on religious leaders has made people ask whether or not something is wrong with the country.
One day after the National Harmony and Religious Leaders Grand Assembly and a meeting between religious leaders and President Joko Widodo at the Bogor Palace, an attack occurred during Sunday mass at Santa Lidwina church in Bedog, Sleman, Yogyakarta. An unidentified attacker brought a sword into the church and harmed a number of congregations, including priest Karl Edmund Prier SJ. The attacker was arrested by the police.
Ahmad Syafii Maarif, former chairman of the nation’s second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, and who currently serves on the advisory board of the Presidential Working Unit on the Implementation of Pancasila (UKP-PIP), visited church on Sunday morning to express his regrets. Syafii urged the National Police to investigate the case and uncover the perpetrator’s motives.
Earlier, a monk was subjected to the improper conduct of local residents in Tangerang, Banten. Before that was an assault on religious leaders HR Prawoto and KH Emon Umar Basri in West Java. West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan has urged for a thorough investigation into that incident.
This series of incidents are deeply concerning. They further harm the national bond of kinship. More time will be needed to recover the bond of the interfaith community in Jakarta. What is certain is that the state must not capitulate against irresponsible and intolerant acts that seek to undermine the nation’s unity.
The state, including regional leaders, must provide a sense of security for all. The Constitution guarantees the people’s right to live and to practice their chosen faith. The law must act upon any and all who commit crimes. Law enforcement needs to be firm, just and transparent. Transparency is the answer to any doubt people may feel about law enforcement.
We urge that an agreement between the religious leaders in Jakarta be disseminated effectively into even the lowest levels of the grassroots to ensure true interfaith harmony at all levels. Leaders – religious leaders – at all levels are responsible for safeguarding peace among the people and preventing them from overreacting and becoming trapped in divide-and-conquer politics, especially in these political years. We must place our trust in law enforcement to resolve these cases honestly, justly and transparently.
Honest, measured and transparent communications from law enforcement officials is important on emotionally sensitive issues to counter negative narratives and viral videos that spread like wildfire on social media without context. In this case, it seems that the government is overwhelmed.
We hope that these series of attacks on religious leaders and interfaith harmony will be resolved soon to enable the recovery of the national bond of togetherness that has been struck numerous times.
