Indonesian bishops discussing fight against corruption

Indonesian bishops holding their annual general body meeting in North Jakarta are focusing their ‎attention on how to help combat corruption as a social and moral evil that plagues the nation and to ‎which religious communities can also contribute greatly.  Thirty-six bishops, as also retired Archbishop ‎of Jakarta Card. Julius Darmaatmadja, Apostolic Nuncio Arch. Guido Filipazzi, the director of the ‎Ministry of Religious Affairs Eusabius Binsasi, and representatives of the Communion of Christian ‎Churches in Indonesia, are participating in the Oct. 31 – Nov 10 meeting.‎

Ignatius Jonan, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, who has led other ministries as well, is the ‎only Catholic minister in the Indonesian government addressing the bishops’ annual assembly.  ‎According to Fr. Benny Susetyo, the secretary of the famous Setara Institute for Democracy and ‎Peace", Indonesian President Joko Widodo chose Jonan because of his moral integrity, discipline, ‎honesty and transparency to head a key ministry where corruption can easily seep in given the tenders ‎involved.  Indonesia’s bishops also listened to the other Catholic, Alexander Marwata, one of the five ‎leaders of the government’s Commission for the eradication of corruption.  Members of the NGO ‎Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Forum "EHEM", anti-corruption initiative launched by the ‎Jesuits in the Philippines, were also called to testify.‎

The Bishops will debate on the input received, reflecting on the theme of corruption in Indonesian ‎society but also in the Church, and then draw conclusions and a final document at the end of the ‎assembly.‎  (Source: Fides)