Published April 15th, 2007 by Future Atlas
More on Islamizing Indonesia
Der Spiegel adds more detail to the Islamizing trend in Indonesia.
An Indonesian editor asserts that “We are on the brink of a comprehensive Islamicization of Indonesia.” That is not yet clear, but Islamic parties continue to press for an “anti-pornography” law that would actually restrict many freedoms, and impose new limits on dress, movies, and the arts.
Meanwhile, conservative Islam continues to spread in Indonesian society, inspiring more women to wear headscarves and clearing alcohol from more supermarkets. Says an Indonesian activitist, “The religious agenda is shaping more and more areas of daily life.”
The article also makes it clear that this is another example of the cultural power of Saudi Arabia, successfully using its wealth to export its version of fundamentalist Islam. Representatives of one of the fundamentalist parties sometimes speak Arabic in parliamentary committees.
As Future Atlas has noted in the past, the consequences of Islamization could be severe.