`Government lacks leadership to end religious conflicts'<\/p>\n
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Around 400 religious leaders began a two-day national meeting
\nhere on Wednesday with participants levying strong criticism
\nagainst the government for its failure to bring a complete end to
\nsectarian violence in eastern parts of the country.<\/p>\n
They attributed outbreaks of renewed violence in the Maluku
\ncapital of Ambon and in the Central Sulawesi town of Poso to the
\ngovernment's slow response in addressing the core problems
\nunderlying the conflicts.<\/p>\n
At least 5,000 innocent people have been killed in Ambon since
\nthe religious violence broke out in January 1999, while over
\n2,000 people have died in Poso, Central Sulawesi, since the
\nstrife started there in 2000.<\/p>\n
Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the country's largest Muslim
\norganization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said Wednesday that the
\ngovernment was "too slow" in dealing with the sectarian fighting,
\nprompting the killings to continue.<\/p>\n
According to Hasyim, the government lacked "leadership and
\nconsistency" in its efforts to completely stop the conflicts
\nacross the country, particularly in upholding the law against the
\nperpetrators.<\/p>\n
"If there is no firm leadership and legal certainty in those
\nconflict-torn areas, the situation will remain difficult (to
\nresolve)," Hasyim said during the opening session of the forum,
\nwhich was also attended by Minister of Religious Affairs Said
\nAqil Hussein Al-Munawwar and National Police chief Detective
\nInsp. Gen. Erwin Mappaseng.<\/p>\n
Hasyim also said the government should not hand over the job
\nof handling the conflicts to other parties, especially religious
\nleaders.<\/p>\n
"The flame of war should be put out together. But in this
\ncase, the government should remain at the forefront," he
\nasserted.<\/p>\n
Other religious leaders called the government a "fire-fighting
\nteam", which only moved to extinguish the fire after it had
\nalready caused extensive damage.<\/p>\n
The participants also urged the government to stop making the
\nissue of religious clashes a "political commodity" to serve its
\nown interests.<\/p>\n
This was one of the factors that had brought about failure in
\nputting a complete end to the bloodshed, they added.<\/p>\n
In order to help halt the unrest in Poso and Ambon, the
\ngovernment must prepare "real solutions" to address the basic
\nneeds of local residents, including providing jobs, and
\nrehabilitating and rebuilding public facilities.<\/p>\n
Peace deals were signed between warring factions one year ago
\nto end the fighting in Poso and Maluku. However, sporadic
\nviolence has continued since then.<\/p>\n
A bomb blast on Monday was the latest violence in Ambon to
\ntest the peace accord. At least three people were wounded as the
\nexplosion led quickly to stone-throwing and the torching of a
\nvehicle.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja of the Indonesian
\nBishops' Conference (KWI) said that today was not the time to
\nblame each other.<\/p>\n
"The most important thing is that the nation, especially the
\nreligious figures who are gathered here, should rebuild trust and
\nmutual respect among the followers of different faiths," he said.<\/p>\n
"I hope this meeting will be meaningful and further strengthen
\nour solidarity and brotherhood," he added.<\/p>\n
The two-day meeting was participated in by around 400
\nreligious figures from all the 30 provinces. It was opened by the
\nreligious affairs minister on behalf of President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, who canceled her visit to the South Sulawesi
\ncapital of Makassar and Poso over security concerns in Jakarta
\nfollowing persistent antigovernment protests.<\/p>\n
In a message read out by Minister Agil, Megawati called for "a
\nspirit of equality" among religious leaders so as to promote
\nmutual respect and brotherhood among both them and their
\nfollowers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-lacks-leadership-to-end-religious-conflicts-1447893297",
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