I am writing to inform you of the continuous and repeated violations of human rights in Indonesia. As you must be aware, on February 6th 2010, 3 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at were publicly killed in the streets of Cikeusik. The attack was conducted by some 700 people. Police failed to stop this even though they had been warned a few days before about an impending attack on the local Ahmadi Muslims. Reportedly, the attackers came to the local centre of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaaat, prepared with machetes, spears, knives and other weapons.
Even more appalling was that this attack was also caught on amateur video with a barbaric beating of two dead young men who already lay dead on the ground. I reiterate, they were not moving and yet they were continually being beaten and in the background you heard the crowd chanting “Allah o Akbar”. This video has now gone viral and has been submitted to various human rights organizations and has spread across the world. The attackers are clearly identifiable in this video. Up until now, no one has been arrested in regard to this event. We trust that the government will make every effort to arrest and charge those involved in this heinous act.
The members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at urge you to take action and stop the barbaric persecution of Ahmadis. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, Section XI, Article 29: “The State guarantees each and every citizen the freedom of religion and of worship in accordance with his religion and belief.” The acts of violence against the Ahmadi’s are a clear infringement of this and a clear violation of basic human rights.
I am writing to encourage the government of Indonesia not to stray from the path of equal rights of its citizens. The current path of religious intolerance will only continue to escalate and worsen if nothing is done to help. I implore that the government, take a stance of justice and protect its minorities from all religious intolerance. As a Muslim, I’m spreading the word of these injustices to others and I want to ensure that we will not stop spreading the word of this persecution until the people responsible are brought to justice and Ahmadi Muslims safety is guaranteed in your country.
