REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesian plan to propose an international protocol against desecration of religion to prevent conflicts and maintain world peace during UN General Assembly meeting may face some rejections. The Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board (PBNU) Slamet Effendy Yusuf said the protocol would be rejected by those in the name of freedom expression, human rights, and others.
The proposal will be delivered by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday, September 25. "The proposal will be rejected by those who support freedom expression eventhough expression on religious denigration has led to discord," Slamet said on Monday.
The protocol is actually a smart solution to prevent any denigration in the future. The denigration was seen on the film 'Innocence of Muslims' in Youtube. Slamet said the protocol was needed to regulate the freedom in the expression.
"The protocol must explain the limit of expression so that it does not touch sensitive matters that stain the purity of religion and relationship," he said. It also must emphasize state's authority to punish every work that defames religion.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Muhammadiyah Central Board, Din Syamsuddin, said the protocol was old issue. Several Muslim countries had voiced the step to prevent and overcome denigration towards any religion.
Din said the protocol must be in the form of firm stance. People in the world must build multiculturalism that appreciates diversity on religion, race, and culture. Every form of denigration over religion, he said, must be included in the category of human rights violation. Then, any violation can be submitted to International Court as crimes against humanity.