6/12/2025 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) — SETARA Institute released a list of 10 Indonesian cities with the lowest Tolerant City Index (TCI) scores based on observations made in 2024.  

The low TCI score was not caused by the rampant incidence of intolerance or other negative factors.  

“The low score is also due to the lack of focus and innovation in advancing tolerance in the city,” SETARA Institute Executive Director Halili Hasan said. “Meanwhile, other cities have rushed to make various innovations and breakthroughs in advancing tolerance.” 

Hasan stated that year after year, the ranking of the 10 cities with the lowest tolerance index has remained relatively unchanged. For example, in 2023, the cities of Pagar Alam and Sabang were also ranked 81st and 85th out of a total of 94 cities studied. In these two cities, there are no discriminatory policies or intolerant incidents. However, in these two cities, the tolerance ecosystem has not been truly proven. 

For example, it is related to the vision of tolerance in development, tolerance promotion policies, and government performance, which has not shown any spirit of promoting tolerance.  

Meanwhile, policy stagnation and a lack of desire to be more tolerant also contribute to these cities’ ranking lower. For example, according to the SETARA Institute’s monitoring, the cities of Cilegon, Banda Aceh, Pekanbaru, and Lhokseumawe have not presented innovations to promote tolerance, either in the form of programs or policies.  

“Although efforts have been made and have long had good dialogical communication spaces between religions and ethnicities, in reality, they are hampered by city government policies,” Hasan said. 

Roughly 82% of Indonesians are Sunni Muslims and 13% are Christians. Amid the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia’s Christians suffer violence at the hands of Islamic extremists and Muslim neighbors and family members. The country’s Islamic predominance restricts Christians’ rights and reduces their place in society. Its increasingly conservative Islamic landscape poses challenges for religious minorities, particularly Christians.  

Although Christians in Indonesia’s cities can worship openly, it is illegal for them to evangelize Muslims in Indonesia. Those who openly share their faith face pressure from family members because their conversion affects the family’s social standing. In rural areas, Christians who actively share their faith face persecution from Muslims, local governments, and the community. Despite the persecution, there are efforts to increase tolerance throughout Indonesia. 

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