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International Review of Humanities Studies

International Review of Humanities Studies

Abstract

Timor-Leste is the youngest country in the world with unique religious dynamics. The Catholic population increased rapidly after independence, while the Muslim population decreased drastically due to political dynamics. The presence of Mari Alkatiri, an Arab-descended Timorese Muslim who became Prime Minister (PM) twice, is a depiction of the presence of Islam in a Catholic-majority country. The long history of colonialism in Timor-Leste has greatly influenced the landscape of religious life there. In its development, the people of Timor-Leste live harmoniously and democratically.

This journal uses a qualitative research method that focuses on the social and cultural phenomena of the religious life of the people of Timor-Leste. The approach is historical and narrative about the history of the entry of religion, the role of political and religious figures, and changes in the demographics of the population that are influenced by the domestic political landscape. The method used is a literature study with historical documentation. The theory used by the author is the Multiculturalism Theory by Bikhu Parekh, because it discusses the existence of an Islamic minority in the midst of a Catholic majority. Also, how a Muslim figure can have a big role in the political arena of this Catholic-majority country.

From this study, several conclusions were found, including that the Muslim population decreased drastically after East Timor's independence from Indonesia due to the development of the political situation there. Islam, which is now a minority, was actually the first religion to enter there, brought by the Hadramaut Arabs. Catholicism then spread massively through Portuguese colonialism.

Bahasa Abstract

Timor Leste merupakan negara termuda di dunia yang memiliki dinamika beragama yang unik. Populasi umat Katolik meningkat pesat setelah kemerdekaan, sementara populasi umat Islam menurun drastis karena dinamika politik. Hadirnya sosok Mari Alkatiri, seorang Muslim Timor Leste keturunan Arab yang menjadi Perdana Menteri (PM) sampai dua kali ini menjadi gambaran hadirnya Islam di negara mayoritas Katolik. Sejarah panjang kolonialisme di Timor Leste sangat berpengaruh pada lanskap kehidupan beragama di sana. Dalam perkembangannya, masyarakat Timor Leste hidup harmonis dan demokratis.

Jurnal ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif yang fokus pada fenomena sosial dan budaya kehidupan beragama masyarakat di Timor Leste. Pendekatannya berupa historis dan naratif tentang sejarah masuknya agama, peran tokoh politik maupun agama, sampai perubahan demografi penduduk yang terpengaruhi oleh lanskap politik dalam negeri. Metode yang dipakai studi pustaka dengan dokumentasi historis. Teori yang penulis gunakan ialah Teori Multikulturalisme oleh Bikhu Parekh, karena membahas eksistensi minoritas Islam di tengah-tengah mayoritas Katolik. Juga, bagaimana seorang tokoh Muslim bisa mempunyai peran besar di kancah politik negara mayoritas Katolik ini.

Dari penelitian ini ditemukan sejumlah kesimpulan, diantaranya bahwa populasi umat Islam menurun drastis setelah Timor Leste merdeka dari Indonesia karena perkembangan situasi politik di sana. Islam yang sekarang menjadi minoritas justru merupakan agama yang pertama kali masuk ke sana yang dibawa oleh orang Arab Hadramaut, Katolik kemudian menyebar masif melalui kolonialisme Portugal.

References

REFERENCES

Aditjondro, George. (1994). East Timor: An Indonesian Intellectual Speaks Out. Canberra:

Australian Council for Overseas Aid.

Bazher, Ambarak A. (1994). Islam di Timor Timur. Jakarta: Gema Insani Press.

Fox, James. J. (2003). Out of the Ashes Destruction and Reconstruction of East Timor.

Canberra: ANU Press.

Klinken, Helene Van. (2012). Making Them Indonesians: Child Transfers out of East Timor.

Melbourne: Monash University Publishing.

Raco, J. 2018. Metode penelitian kualitatif: jenis, karakteristik dan keunggulannya. Jakarta:

Grasindo

Schumann, Olaf. (2017). Kekristenan di Asia Tenggara. Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia.

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