Democracy and violence<\/p>\n
From Media Indonesia<\/p>\n
After the issuance of the second censure from the House of
\nRepresentatives, President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's
\nsupporters launched a mass parade to the National Monument
\n(Monas) square carrying posters that read "If Gus Dur steps down,
\nblood will flow". The posters were aimed at threatening anti-Gus
\nDur groups who happen to be Muslims as well. It was quite awful.
\nDemokrasi golok (democratically ruled by the sword) will
\ndefinitely ruin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
A friend asked why people of the same faith waged a war. What
\nif the nation is composed of multiracial people of different
\nfaiths?<\/p>\n
There was something positive that came out of the istighosah
\n(mass prayer) conducted by the Nahdlatul Ulama members.
\nIndonesia's multidimensional crisis cannot be solved through
\nconventional methods but through the miracles of God only. Gus
\nDur and his followers compassionately and mercifully "cried" and
\nprayed for God's help. And we know the phenomena is not political
\nlip service, but springs from the innermost human feelings.
\nNahdlatul Ulama chairman K H Hasyim Muzadi, when interviewed on
\nwhether the mass prayer would invite conflict, asked us to
\nimagine that the istighosah was for freeing this nation from
\nthose never-ending multidimensional crises held at Arafah desert.
\nHe added that with serious goodwill exercised by all Muslims, the
\nprayer would be fulfilled by Allah.<\/p>\n
But unfortunately the mass prayer was not carried out by all
\nMuslims. If 50 percent of them prayed for Gus Dur and 50 percent
\nagainst him, the result would have been zero. Therefore, the
\nconflict between pro-Gus Dur and anti-Gus Dur Muslims should be
\nput to an end in the interest of all Indonesians.<\/p>\n
So, being democratically ruled by the sword must be avoided
\nand stopped as it is against Islamic teaching. Islam is against
\nbloodshed, and has no thirst for blood. If by his legitimate
\nstatus Abdurrahman is considered incapable of overcoming this
\nextremely terrible crisis, he should withdraw from the presidency
\nand his followers must wholeheartedly and willingly accept it.<\/p>\n
Islam is rahmatan lil alamin (a blessing for the universe) and
\nmust be a peace-loving religion. Rasulullah (prophet Muhammad)
\nonce said: "Fight against your passions because the biggest war
\nis the one against yourselves". And this certainly applies to all
\nMuslims, including the political elite now quibbling for power.<\/p>\n
DR. AGUS SUNTORO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/democracy-and-violence-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }