Gus Dur opposes sweeping against Westerners<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
Former president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid in Denpasar on
\nMonday, voiced his opposition to \"sweeping\" activities launched
\nby several hard-line Muslim groups against U.S. citizens in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The former leader of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization
\nNadhlatul Ulama (NU) said that, according to Islamic teachings,
\ncivilian groups had no right whatsoever to undertake such action.<\/p>\n
\"It's not their right as they have no authority to do so. In
\nIslam, only the state's apparatus has the right and authority to
\nconduct such a course of action and nobody else,\" he said upon
\narrival at the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was warmly greeted by members of the spiritual
\ngroup Ashram Bali Gandhi Vidyapith, the Indonesian Islamic
\nStudents Association (PMII) and several noted local politicians
\nfrom his National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
He also stressed that the idea of conducting a jihad, which
\nwas already called upon by several Muslim leaders, was definitely
\nagainst his personal belief that a truthful struggle must be
\nbased solely on principles of non-violence.<\/p>\n
\"Let them (the leaders) cry for a jihad, but I don't think
\nthat many people will agree with them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was slated to be the keynote speaker at the Gandhi
\nJayanti (the Birthday of Gandhi) celebration on Tuesday night at
\nAshram Bali Canti Dasa, in the coastal area of Karangasem regency
\nsome 75 kilometers east of here. The spiritual learning seat was
\nrun by Gus Dur's long-time friend and an ardent follower of
\nGandhi, Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb said in Jakarta
\non Monday that no complaints have thus far been lodged by foreign
\ndiplomats concerning threats by radical groups against
\nforeigners.<\/p>\n
What the groups are doing is still within the parameters of
\nthe law, Sofjan said after attending a ceremony for the
\ncommemoration of the National Tragedy Remembrance Day at Lubang
\nBuaya Monument in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He explained that his office had received U.S. Ambassador
\nRobert S. Gelbard's report, which said that a group of people had
\ndeliberately passed his official residence shouting protests
\nagainst America's stance toward Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
\"We have questioned these people, but it is not a threat as we
\nfound that what they did is still legal. That's all I can say,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He reiterated that the police would not hesitate to take firm
\naction against any violators of the law who threaten or use force
\nagainst foreigners.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a radical Muslim group said that it would go ahead
\nwith its plan to attack the U.S. embassy in Jakarta and expel all
\nAmerican citizens residing and traveling in Indonesia, despite a
\ncall by President Megawati and Muslim figures not to harm
\nforeigners in the country.<\/p>\n
\"We will not listen to any calls from anybody. If the U.S.
\ngovernment does attack Afghanistan, we will immediately attack
\nthe U.S. embassy and search for American citizens and expel them
\nfrom Indonesia,\" M. Siradj Alwi, operational commander of the
\nIslam Defenders Front (FPI), told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Siradj claimed that FPI has 20,000 members residing in Jakarta
\nand its outskirts, all of whom are ready for mobilization and to
\nlaunch such operations within seconds.<\/p>\n
\"Besides them, we have seven million members across the
\ncountry who are waiting for my command,\" Siradj said.<\/p>\n
According to him, these people can easily be mobilized by FPI
\nofficials in 18 provinces, including all provinces in Java,
\nMaluku, Lampung and parts of provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the search for Americans, Siradj said that there
\nis a possibility that they may do the same thing for Westerners
\nwhose countries support any U.S. attack on Afghanistan.<\/p>",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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