Balinese urged to curb anger over Hindu slur<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Religious and community leaders have called for
\npeace among the Balinese following outbursts of anger over a
\ncabinet minister's remarks about their Hindu religion, citing
\nthat certain parties might manipulate the situation to raise the
\nissue of separatism.<\/p>\n
The religious leaders also believed, however, the government
\nstill needed to take firm action against State Minister of Food
\nand Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin for remarks that insulted Hindus.<\/p>\n
The secretary-general of the Association of Parisadha Hindu
\nDharma of Indonesia, Gunada, was quoted by Antara as saying in
\nthe Bali capital Denpasar on Sunday that the Balinese had never
\nthought about establishing a separate state.<\/p>\n
\"Recent demonstrations which called for A.M. Saefuddin's
\nresignation or for a free Bali state should not be looked at as a
\nnegative thing,\" Gunada said. \"They were an emotional outburst.
\nThe Balinese love the fact that they are part of Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
\"The call for separation from Indonesia did not reflect the
\nwishes of the general public. It was a spontaneous outburst of
\nemotion,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Bali Governor Dewa Made Beratha separately refuted suggestions
\nthat the Balinese would boycott the upcoming general election if
\nSaefuddin refused to resign.<\/p>\n
\"This is simply a matter of Hindus being offended because
\ntheir religion has been insulted. So it has nothing to do with
\npolitical matters,\" Beratha said in Denpasar, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
He labeled as \"rumors,\" the calls for Bali to be an
\nindependent state if President B.J. Habibie did not relieve
\nSaefuddin of his ministerial post.<\/p>\n
I Wayan Sudirta, chairman of the Indonesian Hindu Study Center
\n(YSHI) in Denpasar, agreed.<\/p>\n
\"I don't believe Balinese have a desire to establish a 'Free
\nBali' state. Even if there is, it could have been just a tactic
\nto get the one who insulted Hinduism heavily punished,\" he was
\nquoted by Antara as saying. He added the calls for strong action
\nagainst \"the defamer\" had not been addressed properly.<\/p>\n
Beratha and Sudirta's assertions that it was not likely the
\nBalinese really wanted a separate state was supported by members
\nof the Indonesian Hindu Students Committee (KMHDI) and the
\nIndonesian Hindu Intellectuals Forum (FCHI) in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Also in Jakarta, politicians Theo L. Sambuaga and Lukman Harun
\nof Golkar, and political observers Lt. Gen. (ret) Hasnan Habib
\nand Muhammad Budyatna of the University of Indonesia separately
\nexpressed doubt about the real strength of Balinese separatism.<\/p>\n
Theo believed Saefuddin's recent apology was sufficient and
\nthat the furor should be laid to rest, but Hasnan and Budyatna
\ncalled on President Habibie to heed the calls that Saefuddin be
\nfired.<\/p>\n
\"The government's credibility won't wane just because it fires
\na senior official whose words often cause trouble,\" Hasnan was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Budyatna concurred. \"Rather than letting him become a thorn in
\nthe flesh who will create more trouble, I think Habibie must be
\nsensitive to the disintegration threat. It's better that
\nSaefuddin be replaced,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Theo, also state minister of public housing, said: \"Pak
\nSaefuddin has apologized openly for his mistakes. I am sure as a
\nbig and heterogeneous nation, we will respect that and invoke our
\nsense of nationhood.\"<\/p>\n
Lukman said: \"For me, the solution to the problem was almost
\nreached with minister Saefuddin's apology, so there's no longer
\nany need to make polemic out of it,\" Lukman said.<\/p>\n
On Sunday in Bengkulu, the capital of Bengkulu province,
\npopular opposition leader Amien Rais said he felt it would be
\nbetter if the Balinese accepted Saefuddin's apology.<\/p>\n
\"If he's fired from his ministerial post, I feel that it's not
\nexactly right, let's just forgive each other,\" said the chairman
\nof the National Mandate Party (PAN) after inaugurating the
\nparty's Bengkulu provincial chapter.<\/p>\n
In his remarks on next year's presidential election, Saefuddin
\nof the minority United Development Party (PPP) said recently he
\nwould make a better presidential candidate than Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nPerjuangan.<\/p>\n
Contending that Megawati was a Hindu, he questioned whether
\npredominantly Moslem Indonesia would accept a non-Moslem
\npresident. Megawati is in fact a Moslem. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/balinese-urged-to-curb-anger-over-hindu-slur-1447893297",
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