London: The New York-based Human Rights Watch has urged the Indonesian government to make efforts to protect religious minorities from growing intolerance and violence in the country.
A report from HRW said that there has been a steady rise in attacks on Christians, Buddhists and Muslim minorities.
Many of these were carried out by Islamist militants, the report, which was based on the interview of over 100 people of varied religious beliefs, added.
According to the BBC, the report, included examples of attacks faced by various minority groups, including a mob attack by Islamist militants on the Ahmadiyah religious minority group in 2011, which is said to have left three men dead.
The report recommended the establishment of an "independent national task force" with a strong mandate and the resources to implement a religious tolerance and freedoms strategy for the country.
Discriminatory regulations, like blasphemy law, which it says is biased towards officially recognised religions, be revoked, the report added.
ANI
