US panel wants Indonesia to act after killings

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, an autonomous board which advises the US government, renewed its call on Indonesia to review its 1965 blasphemy law that bars deviations from six sanctioned faiths.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Starit Times | SE Asia
By ST | February 8, 2011

WASHINGTON - A US government watchdog called on Monday on Indonesia to take action against extremists and reform its laws after a mob beat and stoned to death three members of a minority Muslim group.

A video showed the crowd of more than 1,000 people storming a house in West Java on Sunday to prevent Ahmadiyah Muslims from worship, with police doing nothing as fanatics went berserk with stones, knives and sticks.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, an autonomous board which advises the US government, renewed its call on Indonesia to review its 1965 blasphemy law that bars deviations from six sanctioned faiths.


'This is just more deadly evidence that blasphemy laws are the cause of sectarian violence, not the solution,' said Leonard Leo, chair of the commission.

'Indonesia is a tolerant county that should be more intolerant of extremist groups,' he said. 'It's time the Indonesian government brings them to account for the violence and hatred they spread.' The violence comes less than three months after US President Barack Obama visited the world's largest Muslim-majority country and praised its 'spirit of religious tolerance' as an 'example to the world.' -- AFP


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