MPs pledge to protect freedom of religion or belief and combat rise in hateful narratives

Click here for a Bahasa Indonesian translation of this statement

Click here for a Bahasa Indonesian translation of the Sentul Declaration for Peace Building and Freedom of Religion or Belief

JAKARTA – Parliamentarians and religious leaders from Indonesia have signed the “Sentul Declaration for Peace Building and Freedom of Religion or Belief”. The Declaration enshrines moral commitments to promote and strengthen the protection of freedom of religion or belief (FORB)  for all, and to counter the rise of hate speech in West Java. Further, on the occasion of Pancasila Day, which falls on June 1, they agreed to participate in Caucus Pancasila, a multi-parties platform for Indonesian parliamentarians to contribute in reviving the values of Pancasila.

“As our region has witnessed far too often, hate speech has a dangerous impact on society, and it is minorities who are some of the worst affected by it, including women,” said Maman Imanul Haq, an MP from Indonesia. “Hateful narratives pose a major threat to democratic societies, including by stifling debate, heightening tensions between communities, and inciting discrimination, hostility and violence.” 

“As MPs we have a crucial role to play in combating hateful narratives, including by 

collaborating  with interfaith organizations and promoting positive narratives of  peace and freedom of religion or belief both in parliament and public meetings,” said Eva Kusuma Sundari, APHR Board Member and former Indonesian MP. 

Parliamentarians and religious leaders agreed to integrate FoRB in the processes of representation, legislation and oversight in legislative institutions of West Java. 

The calls came following a training workshop held on May 27 for parliamentarians on how they can counter the rise of hate speech against religious minorities. The event was organized by the Southeast Asia Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (SEAPFoRB), a working group set up under the joint project of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB). 

The workshop was aimed at providing MPs with information about existing initiatives that can help to counter hate speech, as well as strategies they can utilize to combate hateful narratives, notably in the context of West Java, Indonesia. As reported by the Setara Institute, West Java has consistently ranked the highest when it comes to cases of religious intolerance in Indonesia.

Due to lockdowns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the rhetoric has shifted online, and the event also invited an expert and practitioner in the field to discuss campaign strategies to counter hateful narratives online by amplifying positive messages, and intensifying dialogues and awareness-raising activities through various social media platforms.

“In our increasingly digitized world, something exacerbated by the health crisis, we are seeing many of these hateful narratives gaining more traction online, and have also witnessed governments and politicians exploiting COVID-19 related fears to scapegoat minorities. All of us in society have a role to play in combating these rhetorics, MPs included,” Sundari said.