In Europe, 20 percent of the population identify as atheist or irreligious. In France it is 40 percent. Yet in Indonesia we can hardly find even one prominent person who publicly identifies as atheist. (One is the comedian Coki Pardede). Ninety-nine percent of Indonesians say religion is ‘important’ in their lives. This is even more than in theocracies such as Saudi Arabia and Iran.

This edition of Inside Indonesia lifts the veil on the personal experiences of some Indonesian atheists. It explores the identities of Indonesians who feel liberated by atheism, the new communities they have formed, and their way of communicating with (or hiding from) the broader society.

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