Intolerance and Interfaith Dialogue Resolution

On February 23, 2016, the Tempo.co website reported the results of a survey conducted in provinces, districts / cities throughout Indonesia related to tolerance between religious communities. The results are quite astonishing, West Java once again occupies the top ranking as the most intolerant province.

Imadudin Rahmat, Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission, said, "of the 87 complaints that went to Komnas HAM, 20 of them occurred in West Java," he said. "An example of a real case of violations of religious freedom in West Java is the sealing of the Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church in Bogor, which until now has not ended. In addition, there was a ban on seven churches in Bandung in mid-June 2015 ".

In the news that was released, it was also mentioned that Ahmadiyya was one of those who got bad treatment in West Java. The group often experiences discrimination, from the prohibition of worship to gather, and even administrative sanctions banning the making of online KTPs in Manis Lor Kuningan. In fact, in the Joint Decree of the Minister of Religion, the Attorney General and the Minister of the Interior in 2008 the group was only prohibited from spreading its teachings.

Since 2011, West Java has repeatedly entered the top list of regions with people who do not respect religious freedom. One of the biggest was in 2013 when the Setara Institute noted that there were 80 cases of violations of religious freedom in West Java. What is unfortunate, from year to year, the number of violence continues to climb, as if there was no attempt to reduce it. The proof, the results of the Setara Institute study conducted in 2015 recorded an even greater number than in 2013.

In Setara's research, there were 224 cases of violations of religious freedom. The case is an event that occurred from January to early November 2015. According to its findings, amounting to 80-90% in that time period, cases of violence and religious intolerance occurred in West Java, with 315 action events, the majority of which were destruction of places of worship and intimidation. or threat.

While the results of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) research in 2015 also produced the same data, namely: West Java as the top ranking as the most intolerant province. According to Kontras, there are five provinces that fall into this category. Under West Java there are then East Java, North Sumatra, DKI Jakarta and Papua. [1] In KontraS notes, there were 41 events in West Java that were categorized as violating human rights. Generally these events are related to restrictions on religious freedom, the prohibition of religious activities, the destruction and sealing of places of worship.

From the data available, it would be difficult for us to deny that the Province which is famous for "someah hade ka semah" does not stop in cases of inter-religious violence in Answer. Even though in reality, it seems hard to believe that violence occurred in West Java - let alone religious violence. Considering the province is thick with Sundanese traditions, such as ethical principles of penance, penance, custody (love one another, advise one another, look after one another).

On the other hand, the authors are hesitant to believe in the results of the Setara Institute and Contrast research. On the other hand, the facts of the study must be accepted gracefully while at the same time improving ourselves to conduct an evaluation.

However, from a number of reports that had shocked the people of West Java, presumably what is behind it all? Is there something wrong with religion itself, so that more and more people commit human rights violations proudly, because of a religious belief? Where is the value of love embedded in each religion? And there are many more questions that we must answer to convince the problem of what actually happened.

Intolerance

Violence in the name of religion is a very dishonorable act. With that too religion becomes a creepy figure, making noise. The tendency for the peace side to not emerge.

Is that right? Yes, if only seeing the rate of development of religion in its history is an important part in the human journey. But what factors change religious society, so that it ignores the value of love and love contained in it? If we do not immediately see the problem clearly, it is not impossible that in the following year the conflict escalation in West Java will be even greater.

In the author's hypothesis, there are two factors underlying violence in the name of religion. First, internal factors and, second, external factors. Charles Kimbal in his book entitled "When Religion Becomes Disaster" said in internal factors, there are five causes that make religion a disaster. These factors are more about the problem of teaching and interpretation; First, truth claim. Claims of absolute truth are usually the fruit of the interpretation of the adherents of religion, that the scriptures teach so. Beliefs that are then embedded in the adherents of such religions can make a dogma that excludes or ignores truth outside of their religion. As a result, it is not uncommon for people to prefer "fist fights", when MUI or religious figures who indiscriminately issue fatwas against heresy or other sects that are different from them.

Second, blind obedience to religious leaders. Actually the concept of taqlid is good if the religious leaders he follows are full of knowledge and caution in solving differences. But the opposite will happen if the religious leaders themselves provide a solution for their followers to follow with rash decisions. For every violence that occurs, I take the example in Kuningan regency related to the attack on JAI, a series of attacks from data released by the Pesantren of Peace, involvement in the role of religious leaders is also what drives it.

Third, the cause of religion can be corrupted is the beginning of religious societies in terms of longing for an ideal age or golden age. The most obvious example is the presence of ISIS terror which aspires to establish an ideal state, or the existence of several elements of Islamic organizations who want to make Indonesia an Islamic state. The reference is the state of Medina. Apart from some elements of politics and interests that surround it like what. West Java actually has contained the seed for a long time, such as the historical facts of DI TII.

Fourth, justify and allow the "goals that justify a variety of ways". Such actions are certainly familiar to us. For example, the tragedy of burning down houses of worship, destruction of traders selling alcohol and so on. The author does not intend to protect the seller of alcohol, because the writer also has the same feeling of dislike. And the fifth, when the cry of holy war began to be shouted.

That is the internal factor that triggers religious violence. Internally there are problems of teaching and interpretation, while externally, for the context of West Java, at least three factors emerge.

Yet since the opening of the democratic tap known as the reform era since 1998. Then the process of decentralization which is misinterpreted as local government freedom creates public policies that are different from the center, and increasingly widespread social injustice that is read as a failure of the secular government thereby strengthening the aspirations of the establishment of an Islamic state.

From these factors, the collapse of the authoritarian New Order era and the growth of the Reformation and Post-Reformation era that was completely open and democratic, and accompanied by rapid technological developments also had a very significant effect on the growth of intolerance. Freedom, democracy, and rapid technological development, like a very sharp trident in building social life, but on the other hand can also be a threat that can lead to disintegration of the Nation. Under the pretext of democracy and freedom of speech, sometimes it is not uncommon for preachers to disbelieve people who differ in their understanding at the time of the sermon, and we all freely insult and pout other people's beliefs on social media. In fact, in the case of wrong and right in theological perspective who knows. Less and more, that's the impact of the trident of the reform and post-reform era.

Meanwhile, as a result of other factors, as already mentioned, the causes of violence or religious discrimination itself occur many times whose role is not infrequently carried out by the regional government itself, especially in West Java. Instead of creating a conducive atmosphere, it is not uncommon for the government itself to fall into discriminatory actions. Such as what was done by the Bekasi Regency government (the prohibition of places of worship in Ceiketing) and Bogor (the case of the Yasmin GKP) which prohibited the construction of places of worship for Christians. Even on issues concerning Shi'a, the Mayor of Bogor, Bandung and the Governor of West Java are very striking in showing their religious sentiment.

In fact, they should be the leaders of the government, they should act neutral, in order to create a safe and conducive atmosphere. because the duty of the government is to protect all citizens of the right to religion and belief, and a sense of peace.

Due to the discretion of regional leaders in West Java in dealing with the problems of their citizens, then local regulations were born with discriminatory nuances such as the prohibition to conduct religious activities to the Ahmadiyya Community in Kuningan, Majalengka, and Bogor, the Shi'ites in Bandung, and a small portion of the community non-Muslims who are forbidden to build places of worship. These local regulations were born out of misconception in the translation of decentralization, one of which.

Resolution

Religion in its history has always been an important factor in every change, it is a contributor and can be a fuel for creating human civilization. Although on the other hand, religion can be a fire that ignites violence and damage. That is the fact of religion on the stage of history. Religion is something that if defined will not count the number of definitions that are born if we ask everyone. Like a knife that has a positive use for cutting vegetables, but by its users the concept of cutting vegetables can change. Every religion basically has the teachings of Love and Love. There is no religion taught outside of that. The issue of religion then becomes a frightening specter, which is wrong not on the religion itself, but on the chef who holds the knife in interpreting its usefulness.

It is important for religious leaders to no longer be shy about dialogue about differences in each religion, because basically in every religion there are more differences than similarities. Campaigning pluralism as a way to open dialogue is what the authors feel is inappropriate in dealing with problems that occur. Because if the starting point to create harmony among religious communities departs from the similarity of each religion, what happens will actually close the dialogue, and become a time bomb of the differences that it covers. Integrity is open as an alternative to crossing existing differences, so that differences can be dialogue and is expected not to be a misunderstanding that will eventually lead to acts of violence.

In a situation like this in West Java, what can we do as state administrators? The author thinks, then there is no other way except to be perpendicular to the foundations of the constitution, and the basic foundations of our country in order to create open integrity. The differences are not there to look for similarities, but to understand the differences. That way, the authors believe that the philosophy of caring for one another, one after another, and one after another will find its momentum. Of course, with the support of the government which is firmly upholding the State constitution. For State administrators, our duty is to protect all religions, we can distinguish which defamation is just a difference of interpretation in the household of each religion.

By; Arip Budiman *

* Postgraduate Students of UIN SGD Bandung, Religious Studies Program

[1] Source; Mdina.com (online news). And Tempo.co.

[2] Obtained from the Peace Pesantren Journal.