Indonesia’s State Ideology of Pancasila

Pancasila is a founding concept of Indonesia, comprising of five principles: monotheism, civilized humanity, national unity, deliberative democracy, and social justice. This concept came about at the onset of Indonesia’s independence from the Netherlands in 1945 to unify the population and emphasize moderation and tolerance.

As Indonesia has witnessed the rise of Islamist extremist activities and sentiment in recent decades, President Joko Widodo’s administration has prioritized emphasizing Pancasila and Indonesia’s historically moderate version of Islam to confront this trend. USCIRF Policy Analyst, Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to discuss the impact this has on religious freedom.

Featuring:
Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
Patrick Greenwalt, Policy Analyst, USCIRF

Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on Indonesia's Pancasila