Indonesia gives freedom to atheists, communists: Supreme Court chief

[rug]

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Wed, July 11 2012, 12:05 PM

Supreme Court chief Mahfud MD is telling the vesting German chancellor that the Indonesian Constitution gives people the freedom to be atheist or communists.

Mahfud was answering Chancellor Angela Merkel’s question about the freedom of religion and democracy in Indonesia during a visit to the Supreme Court on Tuesday evening.

“Since its inception, the Supreme Court has guaranteed the freedom of atheists and communists in this country, as long as they do not disturb the freedom of people of other religions. Freedom is equality.” Mahfud said, as quoted by kompas.com.

- snip -

The chief justice’s comments come after a 32-year-old civil servant was imprisoned for 30 months for saying he was an atheist in June, and after local military commanders in East Java banned the television broadcast of an opera about Tan Malaka, a prominent Indonesian nationalist and communist, in 2011.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/07/11/indonesia-gives-freedom-atheists-communists-supreme-court-chief.html

Justice is blind.

[Igel]

1. Define "disturb the freedom of people of other religions".

If ever-so-delicate Muslim sensibilities, tuned to the slightest possible offense, are offended, is that a disturbance?

If equally delicate Xian sensibilities are offended by Muslims, are the Xian sensibilities also defended?

And if a Buddhist or Hindu is offended by either Xians or Muslims, forced to endure either some perceived slight or even--gasp--the crime of proselytization, is the Buddhist or Hindu considered to have had his freedom disturbed?

Inquiring minds ...

[rug]

2. Seems to me there's plenty of delicate sensibilities to go around.