Recognition for more religions sought in Indonesia  

Indonesia should extend same rights and privileges to adherents of minority beliefs as given to officially recognized six faiths, religious statesman Rajan Zed stated in Nevada today.

Although Indonesian constitution guarantees religious freedom and many Indonesians of diverse belief freely practiced their faiths; but only Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism are extended official status, reports suggest.

Zed indicated that various traditional belief systems, other Christian denominations, Sikhs, Baha’is, animists, Jews, and other minority faith groups should also be recognized and protected by the government.

There were reports of discrimination against the followers of unrecognized/non-official religions, said to be about 245, who faced difficulties in obtaining national ID cards, accessing burial sites, etc.

World, including Indonesia, should display respect for diversity and religious tolerance; and discrimination based on religious belief/affiliation/practice should have no place in the 2016 world, Rajan Zed added.