Pope Francis, on a visit to Indonesia, was officially received on Wednesday morning, local time, in front of the Istana Merdeka Presidential Palace in Jakarta by the country’s president, Joko Widodo. In his speech, he mentioned the challenges of dealing with extremism and intolerance, which – he added – “by distorting religion, they try to impose their will through fraud and violence”.
After the welcoming ceremony at the nearby Istana Negara palace, the Pope delivered a speech to the country’s authorities, civil society representatives and diplomatic corps. It was Francis’ first appearance in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, with 227 million followers; that represents almost 90 percent of the population. Catholics make up about 3 percent.
The motto of the papal visit to Indonesia is: “Faith, fraternity, compassion”.
The meeting with officials was attended by President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who will take power in October after winning the election, and co-founder and leader of the right-wing populist Gerindra party.
He is the current Minister of Defense and a retired general in the Indonesian Armed Forces. He has previously been accused of human rights abuses.
In the 1970s, he participated in the invasion of East Timor. He led the group that assassinated the island’s Prime Minister, Nicolau dos Reis Lobato, in 1978. Subianto also participated in the fight against local guerrillas.
He was later expelled from the army for the bloody suppression of student protests in Jakarta.
Addressing the future president, the Pope said: “I offer the president-elect my warmest wishes for a fruitful work in the service of Indonesia.”
In his address to the authorities, Francis stressed that mutual respect for the specific cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious characteristics of all groups in Indonesia is the essential connective tissue that makes the country’s people “united and proud”.
He drew attention to the national motto: “United in diversity”.
It shows, he added, “that just as the great biodiversity present in this archipelago is a source of wealth and splendor, in the same way specific differences contribute to the creation of a wonderful mosaic in which each pebble is an irreplaceable element in the composition of a great, original and valuable work.”
The Pope said it is necessary for every ethnic group and religious denomination to act in the spirit of “fraternity, pursuing the noble goal of serving the good of all.”
Politics, he added, should aim at “harmony, justice, respect for fundamental human rights, sustainable development, solidarity and the pursuit of peace, both within society and with other nations and states.”
Among the common challenges, he mentioned dealing with extremism and intolerance, which – he added – “by distorting religion, try to impose their will through fraud and violence”.
Francis said the Catholic Church serves the common good and wants to strengthen cooperation with public institutions and other civil society actors to encourage the creation of “a more sustainable social structure and ensure a more effective and equitable distribution of social assistance.”
The Pope recalled the violent conflicts taking place in the world, which – as he declared – “are often the result of a lack of mutual respect, of an intolerant desire for one’s own interests, one’s own position or one’s own unilateral historical narrative to prevail” at all costs, even if this leads to endless suffering for entire populations and bloody wars.
In the face of this darkness, I am happy to see the philosophy that inspires the organization of the Indonesian state manifest wisdom and balance.
– said Francisco.
Remembering the words of St. John Paul II
He recalled the words of St. John Paul II during his visit to this palace in 1989, in the presence of then President Suharto: “By recognizing differences and allowing them to exist, by respecting the human and political rights of all citizens, and by striving to develop national unity based on tolerance and respect for others, we are laying the foundations for a just and peaceful society that all Indonesians desire for themselves and leave to their children.”
Even if at times, in the course of historical events, the above-mentioned guiding principles have not always had the strength to impose themselves in all circumstances, they remain valid and reliable, like a beacon that indicates the direction in which to go and warns against the most dangerous errors that must be avoided.
– Francisco pointed.
In the afternoon, the Pope will meet with the Catholic clergy in the capital’s cathedral and then with children and young people.
tkwl/PAP
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