A Shameful World Statesman Award

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF), http://www.appealofconscience.org/

I am writing this as the director of Institute Mosintuwu in Poso, Indonesia, a grassroots interfaith organization that works with women and children in a post-conflict area, as well as a concerned Indonesian citizen.

As someone who works in an are of Indonesia that conflict has happened in the name of religion, I strongly agree with the idea promoted by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation that “A crime committed in the name of religion is the greatest crime against religion” We have had a dozen years of terrible crimes committed in the name of religion in my region on the island of Sulawesi, resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands left displaced or homeless. Unfortunately, violence in the name of religion continues to persist and in some cases increase in various areas of Indonesia. It is therefore a great disappointment that your organization will award World Statesmen to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a president who has knowingly allowed violence and crime to continue in the name of religion in Indonesia.

I do not have any reasons by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deserves such an award. But I had have many reasons why he should not. I will only mention some of them:

1.  The President has consistently disregarded the violence committed against minority groups including but not limited to the Ahmadiyah,  Shia, and the GKI Yasmin Church. As result of his reluctance to preserve their rights as Indonesian citizens, they have been killed in public, had their houses burned, and are forced to live as Internally Displaced People. Churches have been threatened and in some cases closed because of this. One group of worshipers from a church that had been shut down went to hold their worship service in front of the presidential palace as a form of protest. 

2.   President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono supports and legitimizes intolerance through various policies and statements. In 2006, Mr. Yudhoyono signed Law 23 giving the government the right to distinguish between religions recognized by the state and those that are not.

3.  On June 9, 2008, the government issued a ministerial decree against the Ahmadiyah community, a minority religious group, resulting in an institutionalized discrimination against them solely based on their religious beliefs. There has been a marked increase in violence against the Ahmadiyah community.

4.   In 2008 there were 14 cases of church closures; 2009, 10 cases; 2010, 27 cases; 2011, 54 cases, and in 2012, 59 cases.

5.  Involvement of various agencies such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Regional Head and Bakor-  Pakem, Attorney General, Police and MUI, in the process of banning these minority religions indicate an active involvement of the

It's clearly, the president has done nothing to prevent minority group in Indonesia from being attacked and even killed

Therefore if you and your organization really believe the idea that "A crime committed in the name of religion is the greatest crime against religion", by paying tribute to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, your organization will be directly legitimizing, condoning, and ultimately turning a blind eye to the violence that is occurring in the name of religion under the direct watch of Mr. Yudhoyono in Indonesia. Means, this Award legitimated  a crime committed in the name of religition in Indonesia. 

Although ultimately your organization will go ahead with the award, myself and ( I believe) millions of Indonesian citizens reject it. Shame on you!

Lian Gogali