“The principle of [handling differences] is that we don’t all need to be the same, but we must unite. On the flipside, if we’re the same, we don’t need to deliberately look for differences,” Abraham Halim, a community leader and historical and cultural observer tells New Naratif from his home in Pulo Geulis, Bogor, West Java.

Pulo Geulis is a piece of land in the middle of the Ciliwung River, which flows from south to north through the city of Bogor in West Java. Pulo Geulis is known for its cultural and religious diversity; according to residents, 40% of the population subscribe to Confucianism, while the rest are Sunda or other immigrant tribes such as the Batak or Ambon, with a mix of Christians and Muslims.

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Richaldo Hariandja - New Naratif

Richaldo Hariandja

Richaldo has been a journalist since 2013 and spent 4.5 years at the Media Indonesia Daily Newspaper, writing about politics, science, environmental issues, design and entertainment. He is greatly concerned about environmental issues in Indonesia and has been a member of the Society of Indonesia Environmental Journalists since 2016.

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Aisyah Llewellyn

Aisyah Llewellyn is a British freelance writer based in Medan, Indonesia. She is a former diplomat and writes primarily about Indonesian politics, culture, travel and food.