Toward a (More) Inclusive FORB

Abstract

Freedom of religion or belief (FORB) is supposedly universal, but religion has been predominantly defined as prototyping and privileging the so-called “world religions.” As a consequence, the religions of indigenous people have been treated as culture and as such excluded from FORB discourse. Drawing on the Indonesian context, this paper shows a new potential framework for a more inclusive FORB. It examines two decisions by the Indonesian Constitutional Court that dismantled the politics of “official” religions and expanded the notion of FORB, hence it fosters a more inclusive FORB. This article examines the commonly conceptualized anthropocentric human rights/FORB and compares it with the ecocentric paradigm of indigenous religions. It concludes that kepercayaan, as the constitutional term for indigenous religions, should be advocated to accommodate the ecocentric paradigm. In this way, the Indonesian understanding and practice of FORB may contribute to the global discourse of FORB and indigenous religions.