FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9 February 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Stop Impunity in Violence against Religious Minorities in Indonesia—human

rights group

(9 February 2011, Bangkok) A regional human rights organization today condemned the brutal 6
February attack against members of the Ahmadiyah community in Banten, Indoenesia which
killed three members of the said community.

The Bangkok-based Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) called
on the Indonesian Government to bring the mob that committed crime to justice and revoke the
ministerial decree in 2008 that bans the activities of Ahmadiyah.

On 6 February 2011, around twenty Ahmadiyah followers in Cikeusik village in Banten who
were holding a peaceful religious ritual were attacked by a thousand-strong mob. As a result of
this incident, three persons were killed and six were severely injured.

Ahmadiyah followers are considered as “heretics” in Indonesia as they believe that Muhammad
was not the “final” prophet of Islam. A 2008 decree by the Religious Affairs ministry banned
practically all forms of proselytizing by the Ahmadiyahs in Indonesia. Another 2006 decree
prohibited the use of homes for conducting religious services without permission from the state.

FORUM-ASIA noted that attacks against religious minorities have been “on an upward trend in
Indonesia.” The group cited two recent attacks, one on 28 January against another Ahmadiyah
community in South Sulawesi and the other in December 2010 against a Batak Christian
community.

Yap Swee Seng, FORUM-ASIA executive director expressed “alarm that the Indonesian police
repeatedly failed to prevent such crimes,” noting that religious extremists groups have frequently
taken the law into their own hands.

“As a democracy that respects the rule of law, Indonesian government should not tolerate such
violent acts,” Yap added. He called on the Indonesian government to effectively stop this “culture
of impunity”.

“These attacks must be investigated without fear or favor and the perpetrators must be brought to
justice,” said Yap.

FORUM-ASIA also urged the Indonesian government to take concrete measures to protect
religious minorities in the country in line with the Indonesian Constitution and the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which provides for the protection of the right to
freedom of religion.
 “The 2008 and 2006 decrees must be revoked as these are in contradiction with the ICCPR that
Indonesia ratified in 2006 and the country’s own constitution,” Yap said.

For more information, please contact:

• Mr. Yap Swee Seng, Executive Director, +66 81 868 9178, email: yap@forum-asia.org
• Ms. Gayoon Baek, East Asia Programme Officer, +66 85 056 6548, email: gayoon@forum-
asia.org