ICC Note:
Indonesia currently ranks 46th on the world watch list due to the high persecution level against Christians as a religious minority. The recent imprisonment of the former governor on chargers of blasphemy and the rising persecution of religious minorities show that Indonesia is struggling to maintain its religious freedom. Unfortunately, the government and the community have failed to protect the rights and life of persecuted Christians in the region.
11/1/2017 Indonesia (WAMU) – As home to 250 million people speaking hundreds of languages and spanning some 17,000 islands in an area as wide as the continental U.S., Indonesia is one of the most populous and diverse countries in the world.
The country is about 88 percent Muslim, and it is also home to Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Confucians. It’s a place that prides itself on diversity and sees it as a source of strength. “We cannot afford not to have this diversity,” says Budi Bowoleksono, Indonesia’s ambassador to the United States.
The country’s founding philosophy, “Pancasila,” includes the notions of unity and social justice for all. Religion, politics and culture hold the country together — but there are growing concerns that the country is becoming less tolerant than it used to be.
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