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IL News 025/2019
Jakarta, November 25th, 2019.

Topic of the first session of scoping workshop is “Religious Freedom and Parliament. First speaker began the session by sharing his experiences in strengthening religious freedom, one of which was by accompanying the community of religious followers in Kuningan. Based on his various experiences as an activist and politician, he emphasized the importance of dialogue among elements, including reminding the awareness of the constitutional rights of citizens. He also explained the need to consolidate young people to have position in DPR and to care about religious freedom to establish a good collaboration.

Next speaker went on to reveal the importance of efforts to strengthen religious freedom from the same perspective. Therefore, he emphasized the importance of the same understanding related to the definition of freedom of religion and belief, war and terror, and terrorism. He also explained that the work practices he carried out with Commission I came from the perspective of national defense.

The final speaker in this session has lots of experience in working with vast network. She presented a fresh perspective related to intolerance, as well as challenges of religious life and democracy in Indonesia. She mentioned, for example, the communal character of religion that clashes with individual-rights-based democracy. These two things often result conflict and still need a meeting point in its implementation. She also conveyed the importance of this kind of meeting in order to know each other’s perspective on each sector related to religious freedom, so that they can work together.

One underlying cause that needs attention from the three speakers and responders of the discussion is the importance of strengthening political parties. Political parties are the pillars of democracy and the beginning of the establishment of legislative products that support tolerance and civilization.

(Also read: Description of theReligious Freedom and Business session of this discussion)
(Also read: Description of theReligious Freedom and Higher Educationsession of this discussion)