Government urged to protect minorities JAKARTA, July 19 (UPI) -- Violence against minorities in Indonesia must stop and the government needs to take stern steps to curb it, activists urged. Indonesia, a republic with the world's largest Muslim population, has recently experienced rising violence against minorities, drawing concerns of rights groups. The country guarantees religious freedom. Activists said unless the government shows authority and power to curb religious violence by radical organizations, minority groups will remain victims of repeated hostility, the Jakarta Post reported Thursday. Ulil Abshar Abdalla, a Muslim scholar and a member of the ruling Democratic Party, said the government is not stern enough in dealing with intolerant groups, encouraging such groups to think their actions are justified, the report said. "I am a Democratic Party member, but I am disappointed in (President) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration in dealing with cases of violence against minority groups," Ulil said at Wednesday's opening of the Abdurrahman Wahid Center at the University of Indonesia. Other religious leaders and academics at the event discussed issues related to religious tolerance. Recent acts of violence against minorities include last Friday's attack in a residential area in Bogor, West Java, where about 500 Ahmadiyyahs live, the report said. The Ahmadiyyahs are a Muslim sect, but their faith is not accepted in many Islamic countries. The Post said a survey by human rights watchdog Setara Institute shows 244 cases of violence -- mostly against minority groups including Ahmadiyyah, Shiites and Christians -- were reported last year. There have been 129 similar cases of violence so far this year, the group said. Communion of Indonesian Churches' coordinator Albertus Patty said the number of incidents indicated the government's weakness. Human Rights Watch in May urged United Nations members to call on Indonesia to adopt specific measures to ensure religious freedom, free expression, and accountability for abuses. "Countries should be asking Indonesia hard questions about why over the past four years violence and discrimination against religious minorities is getting worse, and why Indonesia continues to imprison peaceful activists," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.