Indonesia, Islam and Democracy Sample Overlapping

Friday, July 15, 2011 1 Comment
Indonesia, Islam and Democracy Sample Overlapping - This is one conclusion of a panel discussion attended by several ambassadors, members of Congress and observers of Indonesia in Washington DC.

Islam and democracy are complementary, and Indonesia is one country where these two things can happen. This is one conclusion of a panel discussion attended by several ambassadors, members of Congress and observers of Indonesia in Washington DC.

Indonesia - a country with the largest Muslim population in the world - proved to successfully implement democracy. Indonesia's Ambassador to the United Dino Patti Djalal stated this in a panel discussion in Washington Thursday morning.

Some things that are achieving Indonesia, among others, the implementation of democratic elections without violence, the participation of more than 171 million Muslims and non-Muslims in the last election in 2009, the Islamic parties are proving to be a strong supporter of democracy even though Muslims are not as well necessarily choose Islamic parties in elections, as well as the Muslims are increasingly tolerant towards people of other faiths.

Ambassador Dino Pati Djalal said, "We can clearly see that Islam and democracy are mutually supportive. Islam can not and can no longer be used to reject democracy. Indonesia is one example of a rich and fascinating case studies of major questions about how Islam and democracy can be mutually supportive in the 21st century "

Other speakers in the panel discussion was Dr.. Laith Kubba - Director of the National Endowment for Democracy. It is also known as the Iraqi government's senior advisor. In an interview with VOA, Dr.. Laith Kubba expressed his admiration about how the citizens of Indonesia can understand the meaning of Islam in context and not just text in the scriptures alone.

Dr. Laith Kubba said, "In Muslim history there are no details about the institutional mechanisms and processes of democracy because of differences in social development in each era. But its essence - the concept of freedom, sovereignty, social contracts, accountability and the separation of judicial from executive powers, can easily be found in the text of the Koran. I am really amazed how you can have a modern state and civil society where citizens really comfortable practicing their religion and embrace. I have been to Indonesia and I was amazed by both the diversity and tolerance among its citizens, and I am very interested in it ".

The panel discussion "Islam and Democracy - Compatibility Evolving in the 21st Century" organized by the Embassy of Indonesia in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Mali, Bosnia Herzegovina and Iraq, as well as the Congressional Indonesia Caucus.

A number of observers from various countries attended the discussion at the Rayburn House Office Building Washington. Indonesia's Ambassador to the United Dino Patti Djalal expect such an event will provide opportunities for Indonesia to show how Islam and democracy go hand in hand during this fuss. If any of radicalization or secularism, this can be overcome without sacrificing democracy.