Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) – The episodes of intolerance and interreligious violence which have characterised recent times (see Fides 7/2 and 8/2/2011) “are planned acts which serve to divert attention, nationally and internationally, from the most serious problem afflicting the nation: corruption,” explains Father Ignatius Ismartono to Fides. The Jesuit priest is engaged in interreligious dialogue and has long been the director of the Centre for Crisis and Reconciliation for the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia.
Fr Ismartono reports that civil society, through a forum of Christian and Muslim organizations, is working to raise awareness, expose and take concrete actions to combat the phenomenon of corruption which “is much more concerning than the violence.” Often this is “artfully fuelled to damage social harmony and to monopolize the attention of the media and public opinion”, thereby relegating the scandals and problems that affect the upper reaches of the State to secondary importance.
Among other things, the corruption, adds Fr Ismartono, is a phenomenon which drains resources which should be allocated for development, and is “responsible for the poverty and the distress that contribute to rising social tensions.”
Among the new activities that Indonesian civil society has launched in this field, is a new 'Anti-corruption data collection centre', which opened yesterday, 13 February in Solo, a city in the Archdiocese of Semarang (Central Java), by a group of young people committed to human rights, members of associations from every confession. Fr Benny Susetyo, Executive Secretary of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Episcopal Conference, participated at the opening ceremony of the new centre, carrying the best wishes of the Bishops who are very concerned with the Country's moral issues. “The Church,” he said, “promotes the ethic of transparency, and seeks to educate consciences on the values of honesty, dignity, sacrifice and service.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/2/2011)
