Indonesian atheists live a double life in fear of prison or worse

Indonesian authorities insist that atheist beliefs are not illegal – as long as they are not broadcast in public

A group of Indonesian Muslim men gathering to take pictures at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. A small number of atheists in Indonesia live in fear of prison or violent reprisals by religious extremists. (AFP Photo)

JAKARTA: As a student at the university, Luna Atmowijoyo prayed five times a day, refused to shake hands with unrelated men and was "more fundamentalist" than his pious Muslim parents.

A decade or so later, Atmowijoyo renounced Islam and is part of a small number of atheists in Indonesia who live in fear of prison or reprisals violence by extremist religious figures

. on the inside – is often the only choice for atheists in the largest Muslim-majority country in the world.

Atmowijoyo, who lives with his parents, still wears an Islamic headscarf to escape the wrath of a violent father who knows nothing of his daughter's change. of heart, which started when he was told to avoid friendships with non-Muslims.

"A lot of simple things started to bother me," said the 30-year-old woman who asked AFP not to use her real name.

"As if I could not say M She added, referring to a Buddhist festival known as Vesak or Buddha's Birthday in other parts of Asia.

Treatment homosexuals as abnormal was another problem and it soon became impossible Atmowijoyo – once a member of a conservative Islamic party – to reconcile the teachings of the Koran and science

Then the unthinkable snuck into his mind : God does not exist.

Blasphemy

The sprawling Southeast Asia archipelago is officially pluralistic with six major religions recognized, including Hinduism , Christianity and Buddhism, while freedom of expression is supposed to be guaranteed by law.

But criticizing religion – especially Islam, which is followed by nearly 90% of the 260 million citizens – can put you in prison. [19659004] This year, a college student was charged for a Facebook post that compared Allah to the Greek gods and said the Quran was no more scientific than the Lord of the Rings. He faces five years in prison.

Alexander Aan was jailed for 30 months in 2012 for publishing explicit material on the Prophet Muhammad online and declaring himself an atheist.

The lawsuits are part of a broader pattern of discrimination of the archipelago.

Authorities, however, insist that atheistic beliefs are not illegal – as long as they are not broadcast in public

"Once someone spreads this idea, or the concept of atheism, "Abdurrahman Mas & # 39; ud, head of the research and development agency at the Ministry of Religion

Fear for my life

Two decades after the fall of the dictator Suharto kept the country on secular foundations – conservative Islam exploded in Indonesian public life with the rise of extremists and violence motivated by religion.

The country s 39; has been debated with Islamist militancy for years, including the Bali bombing in 2002 that has claimed more than 200 victims of the worst terrorist attack in Indonesia.

More attacks followed and this year, 13 people were killed in a series of attacks sui cides

Buddhist temples were also attacked, while this year an angry mob raged through a small Ahmadiyya Islamic minority community on the island of Lombok, destroying homes and forcing dozens of members to flee. According to AFP, they feared that extremists, encouraged by populist politicians, would pay attention to them.

"The worst thing that can happen in Indonesia is that we can be killed," said a 35-year-old graphic designer.

"I am really scared for my life."

Many apostates – especially those from conservative Muslim backgrounds – assume two identities, such as Atmowijoyo

. "As long as they are silent, there is not much risk," said Timo Duile, a researcher at the University of Bonn, who studied atheism in Indonesia.

"That's why most of the atheists I spoke to prefer to stay incognito."

Inclusive Islam

Nobody knows how many there are of atheists in Indonesia.

While small groups hold regular meetings in major cities, most have looked for like-minded individuals.

The open forum "You Ask, Atheists Answer" on Facebook has nearly 60,000 members, and there are more online.

Karina, based in Singapore, said she found a private Facebook page for other atheists In her native Indonesia, she finally felt "not alone"

Atheists interviewed by AFP have said they worried about publishing private information to identify users by radical Islamist cyber groups, who regularly threaten to threaten them with death

is not the only one y A majority nation Muslim where non-believers are confronted with danger.

Secular and atheist bloggers were killed in Bangladesh, atheists threatened by government officials in Malaysia and incarcerated in Egypt.

for its moderate and inclusive brand of Islam – but it's something that many atheists say is no longer a reality.

Karina said she was concerned about her friends at home. "I worry a lot for them."

And even in Singapore, she felt that she needed to watch her.

"I'm more careful, I'm still publishing some reviews on Islam, but now it's more subtle."