The Challenge of Pluralism in Indonesia

In Indonesia, pluralism is often associated with religious and cultural issues reflecting the diversity of beliefs and ethnic groups in this country. For human rights activists, this concept has always been warmly welcomed as a step toward the peaceful life to which we all aspire. Unfortunately, in 2005, the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), a religious institution with huge political influence in Indonesia, forbade religious pluralism, citing it as incompatible with the doctrines of the dominant religion in Indonesia: Islam. Anti-Western politics—the fuel in the fire of fundamentalist Islam—were likely the real reason behind this ban; several verses in the Qur'an precisely recognize plurality and encourage Islam’s adherents to appreciate and respect others’ beliefs. Despite these explicit arguments to the contrary, fundamentalists in Indonesia still do not want to admit that the Islamic religion teaches pluralism.

Political selfishness and religious fanaticism, especially in the late 90s, have resulted in many Muslims becoming staunch militants for their religion but losing their humanity in the process. Religious verses have been repeatedly used as a justification for violence against other religious believers, even when those people worship the same religion but emphasize different ideas. This situation has damaged a cultural value that was previously preserved by the Indonesian people for centuries: tolerance.

Historical evidence shows many examples of religious harmony in Indonesia’s past-- Hindu and Buddhist temples built side by side, as at the famous site of Borobudur; Islamic doctrines fluidly synchronized with traditional beliefs, as in Java; and the graves of Muslims and Christians buried on neighboring plots. Many examples indicate that Indonesia has had a long, successful cultivation of the seeds of pluralism in everyday life. Even our national slogan, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (“Different, but One”) shows the founding fathers’ desire to create a pluralistic state in Indonesia. The challenge for pluralist activists in Indonesia today is how to nurture those seeds once again.

Resurrecting tolerance is just one challenge facing human rights in contemporary Indonesia. Another challenge is to redefine the concept of pluralism, which has often been narrowly confined to issues of religion and culture, to encompass the many different identities comprising human rights. Religion is an identity that may represent the spiritual aspect of human beings. Culture is the identity which refers to the social aspect. The identity of one’s physical aspects may be reflected through skin color or gender. But what about the tolerance and diversity needed to acknowledge our human sexual aspect? Bhinneka Tunggal Ika should not only be understood as a defense for religious and cultural pluralism, but for sexual pluralism as well.

While some activists understand the diversity of human sexuality and consider it a legitimate part of a person's identity, many advocates remain afraid to talk openly about this issue. Peoples’ reluctance to include sexuality in discussions of pluralism has begun to make sense, given the increasingly tough threats of fundamentalist opponents, but this is just another aspect of the patriarchic, hetero-normative establishment that we must work to co-opt in the struggle for real equality.

Religious pluralism has existed in Indonesia since its inception, largely thanks to support from religious leaders who could act as a counter to fundamentalism. Some Muslim religious leaders who are more liberal have finally joined the pluralism movement, and while their openness to political and religious diversity may be applauded, the issue of sexuality is often still regarded as a sensitive issue. Unless we begin to work sexuality into the pluralism debate in a thoughtful and deliberate way, pluralist-leaning religious leaders may withdraw from the movement, failing to accept sexual diversity as a valued and respected aspect of human rights. This is a big challenge for the movement of pluralism in Indonesia, and one that I plan to devote myself to helping overcome.

PS. big thanks to Lauren Weeth for fixing the mess I made hehe..