Terrorism is not the only form of extremism making headlines in Indonesia this year. The attack on the Gafatar community and moves to evict them from West Kalimantan, as well as threats by local authorities to expel followers of the minority Islamic sect Ahmadiyah from Bangka Island have focused attention on religious intolerance.
What are the drivers of religious intolerance in Indonesia, and what forms does it take? Has President Joko Widodo’s government responded more effectively to the challenge of religious intolerance than the government of his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono?
In this Talking Indonesia podcast episode, I explore these issues with Ihsan Ali-Fauzi, director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Democracy at Paramadina University, and one of the authors of the book, Policing Religious Conflicts in Indonesia, available as a free download.
Look out for a new Talking Indonesia podcast every fortnight, hosted alternately by Dr Dave McRae and Dr Ken Setiawan. Catch up on previous episodes here, subscribe via iTunes or listen to the entire Talking Indonesia podcast via Stitcher.
Photo by Flickr user Lutfi Sh.