An alarming rise in extremism and intolerance has prompted a London-based rights group to express "deep concern" over religious freedom and violence after a two-week fact-finding visit to Indonesia. The team from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) met representatives of Catholic and Protestant churches, inter-faith groups and Muslim civil society groups. CSW has joined three Indonesian groups – the Wahid Institute - Indonesia (named after the former president Abdurraman Wahid), the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace and the Human Rights Working Group - in welcoming the establishment of a human rights dialogue between the Indonesian authorities and the European Union which is due to start on June 29. The CSW fact-finding mission heard from the Setara Institute that it had recorded more than 200 violations of religious freedom last year, among them at least 30 attacks on churches or church property. The Jakarta Christian Communication Forum said it had recorded at least 20 so far this year. As well as Christians, CSW said, the Muslim Ahmadiya sect faced “serious violence and discrimination” throughout the country, particularly since the government banned it from propagating its beliefs in 2008. “We applaud Indonesia’s long tradition of religious pluralism and freedom but we are deeply concerned that intolerance and extremism are gaining ground, said Stuart Windsor, CSW’s national director. “We urge the Indonesian authorities to create a climate more conducive to pluralism by revising or repealing intolerant legislation and providing pro-active support to protect religious minorities from attacks.” The group said the EU-Indonesian dialogue should address abuses of the 1965 Religious Defamation Law. In April the Constitutional Court, Indonesia’s highest tribunal, rejected an appeal to repeal the law submitted by seven Indonesia human rights groups and four prominent Islamic scholars. Related report Jesuit warns of twin evils facing Indonesia IJ10220.1607