‘Spiral’ of silence haunts human rights protection

Ahead of an upcoming UN review on Indonesia’s human rights record, the sources were commenting on recent assaults on freedom of speech and minorities.

The latest incidents included disruptions and cancellations of some of the planned discussions with Canadian author Irshad Manji, who launched the translation of her latest book here, Allah, Liberty and Love.

Despite the incidents, Manji told a discussion at The Jakarta Post on Saturday that she still had “faith” in Indonesia.

She said there was a “sort of crisis in freedom of expression in Indonesia”, adding that her last tour in the country back in 2008 went quite smoothly.

“[Now] even intellectual discussions were cancelled simply because there was weak leadership in this country, which does not protect the people’s rights to enjoy freedom of expression,” she said.

Among others, the rector of the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta cancelled on Wednesday a discussion with Manji.

On Wednesday in Yogyakarta talks with Manji ended when a crowd representing the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) broke down the door to the venue, the LKiS (Social and Islamic Studies Institute) Foundation office, and assaulted participants, denouncing Manji, who has been open about being lesbian.

Her assistant, Emily Rees, suffered injuries on her right arm.

A similar book slated to launch later this week in Malaysia has yet to be confirmed.

Manji added, however, that Indonesians are “capable of more liberty and more love than the weak and corrupt leadership of this country is allowing them to believe.”

“People of Indonesia have to believe in themselves — as much as they believe in God. The Koran tells us: ‘God does not change the condition of the people until they change what is inside themselves.’ Remember, we must take the first step so God can do the rest,” she said.

Other activists cited increasing attacks on minorities who have been given insufficient public defense.

Representatives from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will begin their review of Indonesia’s human rights record from May 21 to June 4.

Lawyer Harjo Winoto said on Saturday that when a minority group was being assaulted while other groups remained silent, the minorities would feel fearful and trampled upon.

“As a result, they will choose to be silent because no one will stand up for them. Eventually, this spiral or pattern of silence will grow bigger and bigger until nobody dares to speak up,” he said after a discussion on freedom of expression.

“If this is allowed to continue it will be dangerous in the context of restricting minorities,” Harjo said. He added this is because “the hardliners separate us into boxes” so minorities are easily pressured.

Harjo is part of a team of lawyers supervising the case of Alexander Aan, a civil servant in Padang, West Sumatra, accused of professing atheism on Facebook.

Rights activist Haris Azhar said the government was looking out for its own political interests in closing its eyes to attacks on minorities.

The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said the government knew that visibly supporting groups such as the Ahmadiyah sect, Shiite groups or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people would be unpopular in mainstream society.

A Shiite compound was attacked last December in Madura, followed by demands to ban the Islamic denomination. The government has defended several bylaws restricting the Ahmadiyah, saying they are within the authority of regional autonomy. Workshops on LGBT issues have also been attacked by hard line groups.

Given recent developments, “many parties, including representatives of the UNHRC, will reduce their optimistic projections of Indonesia in terms of progress for democracy,” Haris said. (asa)


(2012-05-13/thejakartapost)