Asian Muslim Action Network, we would like to express our appreication for the draft
recommendation on the implementation of the declaration which provides a comprehensive tool for
state and non-state actors to protect and promtoe minority rights.
Transition to democracy is rarely smooth in Indonesia reform in 1998 has opened te political space
for civil society groups to enjoy political freedom. In one hand this has strengthened the role of civil
societies in promoting women human rights legal mechanism to in place in Indonesia the strength and
democracy; however, this also provides the new oxygen for fundamentalist groups to use political
space to win their goal, formation of Islamic State. They have agressively promoting so-called pure
Islam to recruit young people in schools, spreading hate speech, persuiade policy makers to limit
women from public participation and insome cases provoke people to against religious or faith
minorities which are considered by them as heresy. Hence considering the strong influence of
fundamentalist groups awareness raising it one of important recomendation in this forum need
practical internvention in four areas of change.
Number one: individual change among more people, we need to have more women, men, young
people from different background of ethnicities and religion, belief to understand human rights
instruments in all level. Including thedeclaration as important instrument to protect and promote
minority rights. The fact that at least currently in Indonesia 190 displaced followers in East Java
including 69 women and 61 children and more 60 displaced families of Ahmedi followers in Transit
Alomba could not go home to their village indicates that there is still a lot of people who do not have
sufficient knowledge on women human rights and minority rights.
Number two: we need to have intervene to have individual change among key people such as
decision makers, religious leaders, community leaders, school teachers including the fundamentalist
groups to understand women human rights in the perspective of inclusive Islam. Hence their
interpretation of religious text which is more friendly to women and minority groups is a must. We
have a very conducive envirnoment to debate on understanding inclusive Islam in Islamic boarding
schools, radio, TV programmes, workshop, training, seminar and so on as well as producing a lot of
writing and books regarding reinterpretation of the Koran in Hadis in thematic issues such as women
leadership, trafficking, tolerance, martial rape and even Jihad. However we still have seen that a
report that, study by Conres Prempuan August 2012 shows that we still have 282 policy at
provincial and [...] level subjecting the discrimination against minority rights. We see still 20 cases of
violation against minority rights reported by Wahid Institute in 2011 are perpetrated by state actor,
this all indicate that the quality of leadership among policy makers, religious and community leaders
are deficit. For this reason inter and intra faith dialogue, training, exchange programme amonst
religious leaders whether they are connectors or dividers to peace should be enlarged.
Number three: the individual chaneg is not enough unless it is transferred into cultural change with
strong civil societies, including minority organisation should take active roles in development. We
have a good practice on syngery among civil society organisations, advocating for freedom for
religion in Indonesia but unfortunately they lack a presence of minority groups because of security