RELIGIOUS "SUPER-SPREADERS" IN INDONESIA: MANAGING THE RISK OF STIGMATISATION

[Jakarta, 19 May 2020] This briefing focuses on religious gatherings, Muslim and Christian, that produced multiple outbreaks of the virus – the so-called "super-spreaders". The largest cluster was produced by a single meeting of the Muslim missionary organisation, Jemaah Tabligh, which has now produced more than 1,000 cases in 29 of Indonesia's 34 provinces; a much smaller outbreak resulted from a meeting of the Bethel Church, a Protestant Pentecostal network. While members of both groups have faced stigmatisation, it has been kept within manageable limits – only a few close calls in areas where a previous history of tensions existed. It is not clear, however, that the government has learned lessons about how to anticipate and prevent future problems.

Two immediate issues need attention. First, more religious "super-spreaders" could emerge as the Idul Fitri holiday approaches in less than a week. Increasingly, Indonesians are flouting regulations on social distancing, travel and public gatherings, and government policies are growing more contradictory as public pressure mounts to lift restrictions, especially on prayers at mosques. The result could be possible clashes and more infections. Second, close to 1,000 Indonesian Tablighis remain stranded overseas as the government tries to arrange repatriation in the midst of lockdowns. Mapping of their final destinations needs to begin now, with quarantine centres established and communities prepared for their return. With everything else on the government's plate, this will be no small task.