A Universal Justice Network [1] delegation of human rights activists, led by Citizens international (Malaysia) and Islamic Human Rights Commission (UK) are on their way to Indonesia amid concerns of disunity and violence emerging in the historically tolerant country. There have recently even been scenes of inter-Muslim sectarian violence.
The delegation, with its local partners, will be meeting ministers and NGOs to discuss progress and unity for the nation, its diverse communities and the region. It also hopes to meet villagers affected by sectarian violence and displacement in East Java.
The villagers were attacked simply because of the recent prevalence of sectarian rhetoric that their teachings are heretical – a belief that is not shared by the majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide. 274 villagers are currently taking refuge in a local sports centre because the threat of violence is still too great for them to be able to return to their village. The delegation fears the worrying implications of the emergence of this type of sectarianism, particularly when Indonesia has been making efforts to address human rights concerns for its different peoples.
Notes to editors
1) The Universal Justice Network (UJN) is a coalition of over 70 civil society organisations from South East Asia, South Asia, Europe, Africa and North America https://ujnweb.com/
