Bahá'í Academics Resource Library

Synopsis of References to the Bahá'í Faith
in the US State Department's Reports on Human Rights
1991-2000
Introduction and Index
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INDONESIA

HRP: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
IRF: Annual Reports to Congress on International Religious Freedom

FREEDOM OF RELIGION

The Constitution provides for religious freedom for members of officially recognized religions, and the Government generally respects this provisions in practice; however, there are some restrictions on certain types of religious activity and on unrecognized religions. The Constitution also requires the belief in one supreme God. Some religious minorities, including the Baha'i and Rosicrucians, were given the freedom to organize in May when Presidential Decree 69/2000 revoked Presidential Decree 264/1962, which had restricted their activities. Members of the Baha'i Faith generally did not report problems during the year. However, in May a crowd of Muslims reportedly expelled two Baha'i families living in a predominantly Muslim village in the Donggala District of Central Sulawesi. Members of the Baha'i faith did not report problems during the period covered by this report. The Government banned some religions, including Jehovah's Witnesses, Baha'i, Confucianism and in some provinces the messianic Islamic sect Darul Arqam. According to official statistics, nearly 400 "misleading religious cults" are banned, including Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'i. A 1963 ban on the Baha'i Faith continues in force.

SOCIETAL ATTITUDES

Members of the Baha'i Faith did not report major problems since the lifting of the ban on their religious practice...; however, in early May 2001, a crowd of Muslims reportedly ousted two Baha'i families living in a predominantly Muslim village in the Donggala District of Central Sulawesi. The local branch of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) issued a religious decree (fatwa) banning the spread of the Baha'i Faith in the district.



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