Gov’t to Form Task Force for Guarding Tolerance

Photo caption: Commissioner of National Commission on Human Rights M. Imdadun Rahmat responds to reporters questions after meeting President Jokowi on Friday (9/12)

National Commission on Human Rights and President Jokowi discussed concerns about a decline in the quality in respecting others in a meeting held on Friday (9/12), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

The meeting especially talked about plurality in religious beliefs, religious sect, ethnic, and race.

“We are concerned about that matter. In fact, intolerance that spreads has caused harm to people’s freedom of expression, speech, art, culture, and academic,” Commissioner of National Commission on Human Rights M. Imdadun Rahmat told the reporters after meeting President Jokowi.

According to Imadun, intolerance groups have infiltrated universities that caused a significant decline in religious tolerance in Indonesia.

“The Government is committed to taking firmer measures in responding violence of law committed in the name of religion,” Imadun added.

A task force to handle the spreading of radical ideology, fundamentalism, and the seeds of violence will be formed; and there will be a systemetic measure to repress the spreading, Imadun explained.

Also on that occasion, Presidential Staff Johan Budi SP said that the members of that task force will not consist of Governmental officials but also non-governmental figures.

“We have learned that the members should not be dominated by the Government but non-governmental figures,” he added.

Johan explained that the task force is formed to reinstate the concept of Pancasila.

Meanwhile, Minister of Law, and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly explained that the task force will not only involve the Government but also civilian.

Yasonna asserted that the task force is aimed at strengthening the values of nationalism. (UN/FID/ES) (RAS/EP/YM/Naster)