The 2018 Indonesia Update
Contentious belonging: the place of minorities in Indonesia
The status of minorities throughout Indonesian history has always been a matter of contention. Two broad polarities have been evident: one inclusive of minorities, regarding them as part of the nation’s rich complexity and a manifestation of its ‘unity in diversity’ motto; the other exclusive, viewing with suspicion or disdain those communities or groups that differed from the perceived majority, whether because of ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or disability. State and community attitudes towards tolerance or inclusion of minorities have fluctuated over time. Some periods have been notable for the acceptance of minorities and protection of their rights, while others have been marked by violence and discrimination against at least some minorities.
Indonesia’s treatment of minorities over the past decade has become increasingly controversial. While successive Indonesian governments have projected to the world an image of their nation as tolerant and harmonious, domestic and international human rights groups have sharply criticized what they see as worsening attacks on the status and freedom of minorities, especially the Chinese and LGBTI communities and so-called ‘deviant’ religious sects.
This conference will explore historical and contemporary dimensions of Indonesia’s minority communities, discourses about minorities and the shifting attitudes towards them. Particular attention will be given to questions of religion, gender, sexuality, disability and the law.
Conference convenors
Greg Fealy
The Australian National University
greg.fealy@anu.edu.au
Ronit Ricci
The Australian National University
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
ronit.ricci@anu.edu.au
Conference administrator
Indonesia Project
The Arndt-Corden Department of Economics
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
Canberra ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
P 61 2 6125 3794
F 61 2 6125 3700
The ANU Indonesia Project wishes to thank The Australian National University and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their substantial and continuing support.
Media coverage
Indonesia’s troubled minorities by Greg Fealy in The Sydney Morning Herald
Indonesia’s treatment of minorities scrutinised, listen to the ABC Online interview with one of the Indonesia Update speakers, Sidney Jones.
Radio National Patricia Karvelas’ pre-recorded interview with Sidney Jones on the focus of the 2018 ANU Indonesia Update
Jokowi’s authoritarian turn by Tom Power in New Mandala
Akankah ada Ahok lain dalam politik Indonesia? by Nindias Nur Khalika from Tirto.id
Intoleransi politik meningkat setelah gerakan menolak Ahok by M Ahsan Ridhai from Tirto.id
Asia Briefing #10, Living with Indonesia special by Greg Earl in the Asia Society.org
Economic diplomacy: Japan, Indonesia and the TPP by Greg Earl in The Interpreter.
Summary of the 2018 Indonesia Update, Day 1 and Day 2.
Summary of the 2018 Mini Indonesia Update at the Lowy Institute.
Day 1
Welcoming Remarks
POLITICAL UPDATE.
Jokowi’s consolidation and democracy’s decline
Presenter: Thomas Power (ANU),
Discussant: Jacqui Baker (Murdoch University)
Chair: Julie Heckscher (DFAT).
Download slides by Thomas Power.
ECONOMIC UPDATE
Presenters: Ross McLeod (ANU), Sitta Rosdaniah (Ministry for State-owned Enterprises, Republic of Indonesia),
Discussant: Susan Olivia (The University of Waikato),
Chair: Sarah Dong (ANU).
Download slides by Ross McLeod and Sitta Rosdaniah, Susan Olivia.
Session 1. Keynote address. Ambiguous advantage: minority status in Indonesian history
Chair: Ronit Ricci (ANU and Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Presenters: Robert Cribb (ANU). Chair: Ronit Ricci (ANU and Hebrew University of Jerusalem).
Session 2. Legal and constitutional perspectives
Chair: Stephen Fitzpatrick (News Ltd)
The legal framework for regulation of minorities
Speaker: Tim Lindsey (The University of Melbourne)
The constitutional court on minorities
Speaker: Simon Butt (The University of Sydney)
Download slides by Tim Lindsey, Simon Butt.
Session 3. Disability
Chair: Cate Rogers (DFAT)
Disability inclusion in the Islamic education sector in Indonesia
Speaker: Dina Afrianty (La Trobe University)
Changing laws, changing attitudes: the place of people with disability in Indonesia
Speakers: Thushara Dibley (The University of Sydney) and Antoni Tsaputra (The University of New South Wales)
Download slides by Dina Afrianty, Thushara Dibley and Antoni Tsaputra.
Session 4. Sexual minorities
Chair: Sharon Bessell (ANU)
Is the recent wave of homophobia in Indonesia unexpected?
Speaker: Saskia Wieringa (Universiteit van Amsterdam)
From gay and lesbi, LGBT to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression (SOGIE) minorities
Speaker: Hendri Yulius (The University of Sydney)
Download slides by Saskia Weiringa, Hendri Yulius.
Day 2
Session 5. Religious minorities
Chair: George Quinn (ANU)
Muslim intolerance towards religious and ethnic minorities: analysing the survey data
Speakers: Marcus Mietzner (ANU) and Burhanuddin Muhtadi (ANU & Indikator Politik Indonesia)
Mediating religious conflicts in Indonesia: the ambiguous role of religious harmony forums
Speaker: Ihsan Ali-Fauzi (Pusad Paramadina)
Confronting religious intolerance: the case for more nuanced state and community responses
Speaker: Sandra Hamid (The Asia Foundation)
Download slides by Marcus Mietzner and Burhanuddin Muhtadi, Ihsan Ali-Fauzi, Sandra Hamid.
Session 6. Ethnicity
Chair: Jewel Topsfield (Fairfax Media)
Anti-Chinese sentiments and the 'return' of the pribumi discourse
Speaker: Charlotte Setijadi (Singapore Management University)
Sentimental Indians and Indonesia
Speaker: Maria Myutel (ANU)
From mainstreaming to marginalisation: the 'normalisation' or Orang Rimba in Jambi
Speaker: Saur Marlina (Butet) Manurung (Sokola Institute)
Session 7. Closing reflections. The political manipulation of minority status
Chair: Greg Fealy (ANU)
The political manipulation of minority status
Speaker: Sidney Jones (Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict)
Download slides by Charlotte Setijadi, Maria Myutel, Saur Manurung, Sidney Jones.