Burning of Shi ite Islamic Boarding School in Indonesia: Evidence of State Failure i n Protecting Freedom of Religion BY THE ASIAN

MUSLIM ACTION NETWORK (AMAN) INDONESIA, 06 JANUARY 2012, The present condition relating to freedom of religio n in Indonesia is increasingly moving towards becoming worse. Discrimination aga inst minority groups that re-appeared at the end of 2011 clearly showcases the e ver increasing human rights violations in Indonesia. While the government still seems to be struggling in providing a good solution for the adherents of the Jem aah Ahmadiyah in Indonesia, now the Shi ite community in Sampang-Madura has to exper ience similar violence. A group of people, who claim to belong to Sunni faith bu rned Shi ite s homes, school, and places of worship at Nangkernang Shiite hamlet, Karan Gayam village, District Omben, Sampang Regency on Thursday, 29th December 2011. A madrasa, a mosque and three houses were burned down by this group. The group even threatened to kill all the followers of Shi ite Islam because this group is con sidered to believe in heretical teachings. Moreover, after 351 people were evacu ated by Shi ite Islamist groups to a shelter in GOR Sampang, their belongings left a t the site were also looted by the group. Ironically, the police, who are supposed to provide protection to the Shi ite Muslim s, instead spread terror among the Shiite refugees and forced them to convert an d become Sunnis. Though the government and the police believe that the burning o f the Shiite hamlet was because of a family conflict, but media reports over tim e have clearly shown that conflict between Shiites and Sunnis started since 20 06 and has in fact turned violent because of prejudice and hatred that has been planted by some ulamas since 2004. Instead of being firm and conducting a thorough investigation on the perpetrator s of violence, East Java provincial government together with the Indonesian Ulam a Council (MUI) at district level has proposed a solution that seems unreasonabl e, that, to relocate Shiite followers, who have fled from their village to a tra nsmigration area. People think it is better to separate this group from the rest of society that is Sunni majority. The idea supported by the Deputy Governor, S aifullah Yusuf, Government of East Java, seems to imply that the Shiite follower s should to find a separate place and live their life far from the majority, tha t is, people subscribing to the Sunni faith. It is very obvious that this solution offered by the government is against basic human rights. It is also contradictory with the substance of the 1945 Indonesia n constitution, Article 29, that provides guarantee for people of Indonesia to b elieve and worship according to their religion and belief. It is also obvious th at the relocation was violating the civil rights of citizens as enumerated in Ar ticle 27 of Law no. 39 of 1999, on Human Rights, "Every Indonesian citizen has t he right to freedom of movement and residence within the territory of the Republ ic of Indonesia". In addition, removal or relocation of the community can not be done on the basis of differences in beliefs. In this context, the transfers wer e a form of police and government reluctance to reveal the arsonists responsible and the violence experienced by residents. As an institution that cares for the protection of religious freedom and believe s in creating a harmonious society, and is deeply concerned with the struggle of human values?? of justice and equality , We The Asian Muslim Action Network ( AMAN) Indonesia urge: 1. The Government to carry out their responsibilities in protecting the minority Shi'ite Followers from attacks and to uphold their right of freedom of religion . 2. The Police officers to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of violence in accordance with the mechanism of criminal law in Indonesia, as well as ensuring the security of the Shiite Community which may suffer further from the after-eff ects of this violence. 3. Local Government and the Government of East Java Province Sampang must restor e the fundamental rights and guarantee the security of Shiite refugees to return to their village, Nangkrenang, instead of relocating them to another place. By The Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) Indonesia http://www.just-international.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5

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