By: Ahmad Pahlevi) *
Ahead of the New Year and Christmas Celebration, residents are encouraged to maintain mutual tolerance between religious communities. This is done in order to maintain harmony in the community and create a conducive situation towards the end of the year.
It is appropriate to provide tolerance between religious communities. Especially when celebrating religious days that are different from what we profess. Not only good for harmony, but can suppress the hostility and the possibility of fighting sheep because of differences in belief. Given the issue of religion is considered quite vulnerable. From a trivial problem it can be enlarged as if there is no way out.
Ahead of the Christmas celebration usually Christians will hold a number of religious activities. For example, by attending churches doing mass until other events. So if it does not foster a strong tolerance, it is likely that disputes will occur because of different fancies. Not to mention the other potential that can trigger a bigger problem.
If for the new year itself is more neutral. Because, all religions can enjoy the turn of the year. Nothing is binding if certain religions cannot participate in New Year’s activities, as long as the concept is correct. Moreover, this New Year Celebration is only a euphoria of the joy of welcoming the new year with a variety of hopes and dreams.
Previously, President Jokowi said that Indonesia guarantees citizens to embrace a religion. That is why the government prohibits community organizations that will conduct sweeping of religious activities.
The former mayor of Solo asked all parties to maintain tolerance and harmony ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations. This he conveyed in a limited meeting of the Christmas Preparation 2019 and the New Year 2020.
He hopes that all of us must continue to strengthen the values of tolerance, harmony, and the values of brotherhood among fellow nation’s children. So that in the lead up to Christmas and the new year will provide comfort, security to the entire community.
In line with the President’s statement, Minister of Religion Fachrul Razi also appealed to CSOs not to carry out unilateral sweeping activities ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations. He believes that the people in Indonesia are currently able to respect one another.
Even though negative narratives are often found ahead of the Christmas season, these are just issues that develop in the community. He also hopes that the celebration of Christmas and the New Year 2020 in Indonesia will be able to run smoothly without the raid carried out by a number of community organizations.
This conditioning is also applied by security forces. Which is the TNI and Polri would appreciate the role of community groups who participated in maintaining security ahead of the Christmas celebrations of 2019 and the New Year 2020 and be able to show harmony among religious believers. The public is also prohibited from conducting raids or swepping during Christmas and New Year celebrations because these actions are the authority of law enforcement officers.
TNI Commander in Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said, there needs to be collaboration between the TNI, the Police, and all components of the community in order to maintain security conducive ahead of the two major activities. However, this component of society must be able to coordinate with the military and police so as not to violate standard operating procedures (SOP).
Hadi said that cooperation can be done through empowering the community components. Society does not act as law enforcement officers, but as a form of mutual cooperation which is a noble culture of the nation.
Hadi added, currently there are a number of components of the community such as teenagers in the mosque or Banser who also take care of security while worship in the church is taking place. This certainly shows a sense of tolerance among religious believers who must continue and must be maintained. However, this participation must still be accompanied by the TNI and Polri so as not to cause misunderstanding.
Regarding the focus of security, Hadi explained, church areas throughout Indonesia will become a tightening point of security during the 2019 Christmas celebrations. Anticipation of terrorist acts becomes one of the threats that need serious attention in safeguarding Christmas and also the New Year.
Creating tolerance among religious believers is indeed very fundamental. Given this will be able to strengthen national stability that is useful for the unity and integrity of the Indonesian nation. Surely we do not want it if the national stability is damaged only because of a trivial problem? Let’s open up and foster a sense of tolerance in order to strengthen diversity in the archipelago.
) * The author is a social political observer
