Tyranny of the Majority
May 3rd, 2007, in News, by PatungThe tyranny of the majority, and the minority, in Papua.
The Catholic bishop of Jayapura, Leo Laba Ladjar, says Papua needs a legal framework to ensure that harmony between religious groups is maintained, and to prevent both a tyranny of the majority, and a tyranny of the minority, situation. For minorities:
Rules have to protect minorities against a tyranny of the majority, which can easily occur.
Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar says that in the provinces of Papua and West Papua Muslims are in the minority, both in terms of their numbers and their social status, and so they have to be protected by the law.
Leo Laba Ladjar.
However he added that Indonesia had a tendency to employ Islam as the national standard, because nationally Muslims were a majority, thereby putting Islam in the dominant position in every part of the country, even where its adherents were a minority. This could create a tyranny of the minority, and this too had to be prevented in Papua, he said. republika
7 Comments on “Tyranny of the Majority”
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Mohammed Khafi says:
What we need is religions themselves to teach tolerance and understanding and the realisation that God is one. All religions, if they believe that they are the only path to God are corrupted and need to correct themselves, Gods wants us to live in harmony and not to be constantly fighting with each other.
Peace
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Julita says:
Great M. Khafi, and this have to be taught from childhood on. I remember a talk I heard. A Moslem lady, she said that children are like a blank page (I don’t know where she quoted it from) we can nuture them to whichever direction we want. Partly true, so parents, let do our job teach “LOVE” and avoid all “HATE”. I heard this is lacking. After that follow the influnece of teacher, friends and those around them. Perhaps, then perhaps if all parents start doing this peace can be acchieved (oh my, am I dreaming?)
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I am dreaming with you, hopefully there are others who will dream with us and we can together strive to make our dreams come true.
Peace
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Robert says:
Mohammed Khafi,
What we need is religions themselves to teach tolerance and understanding and the realisation that God is one. All religions, if they believe that they are the only path to God are corrupted and need to correct themselves, Gods wants us to live in harmony and not to be constantly fighting with each other.
That is indeed a great thought, even though I am not a religious person. Your idea is good, though I think there is long way to go. I still have the video of the Poso violence in my mind. I still think that are too many people who don’t grasp the real meaning of religion. They just think religion is a justification for committing violence instead of using it as a tool of peace. It seems that religious intelorance is more on the rise that that it is declining. As said earlier, the road to peace is going to be a long one.
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Sputjam says:
The term used in the koran is deen. Deen is wrongly translated as religion by traditionalist. Deen means way/system or order. God calls for the masses to submit to His system/order. Religion are man made marvels of rituals and worship.
There are no rituals in God’s deen. You merely have to “call’ to God to be heard. And praise Him. For all praise is for God alone. That is what I understand from the meanings in the koran.
As for the people of papua, they were never given a chance to govern themselves. Indonesians are a bad example to follow for the papuans. Even jakarta and the island of java is badly managed,
a referendum to decide on its fate, by the papuans should be held as soon as possible. The choices should be a) remain Indonesian b) independence c) autonomy d) merge with papua New guinea. -
Sputiam: A referendum to decide on its fate, by the papuans should be held as soon as possible. The choices should be a) remain Indonesian b) independence c) autonomy d) merge with papua New guinea.
Another dream. Yes, I do hope they will have this chance and proof their tolerance to others may it race or religion.
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Speaking of Papua, read this:
Raperda Manokwari, Raperda “Titipan”.
Now look who is talking…. :D, and what they’re saying:
— This proposed law is very controversial, and can spark a conflict within the society, because it favors a particular religion at the cost of the moslems.
If only they had a mirror…, maybe they could give a second thought about their selfish urge to establish “islamic law” in Indonesia (and any part of the world).
Sigh…, I don’t know…, if we can even talk with them like adults. They’re like spoiled kid to me. Incredibly selfish.