ICMI asked to block bid to politicize religion<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
\nappealed to the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals
\n(ICMI) yesterday to help the government's efforts to block any
\nattempts to politicize religion.<\/p>\n
\"The politicization of religion will not only degrade the
\nnoble characters of religion, it will obstruct the religion from
\ngiving ethical, moral and spiritual contributions to national
\ndevelopment,\" Feisal said addressing the Second ICMI Congress at
\nHotel Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, the politicization of religion can also lead to a
\ndictatorship by the majority, or to tyranny by the minority,\" he
\nsaid. \"Both of these must be avoided because they would undermine
\nthe unity and cohesion of the nation.\"<\/p>\n
Feisal is one of several top officials who were invited to
\naddress the congress of ICMI, which under the chairmanship of
\nState Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, is widely
\nseen as yielding growing political clout.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto in his address opening the congress on
\nThursday appealed to ICMI to dedicate its services to the entire
\nnation, and not solely for the Moslem community.<\/p>\n
The growing political influence of ICMI since its inception
\nfive years ago and the reactions it has provoked has raised
\nconcern about the possibility of a return to the sectarian
\npolitics of the 1950s which were highly divisive.<\/p>\n
Gen. Feisal said that instead of using religion as the basis
\nof a political movement, people would be better off incorporating
\nthe substance of religions into their political orientation.<\/p>\n
\"The end result is the combination of ethics and morality in
\nthe political development process,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Incorporating religious substance into politics is a better
\nalternative to the politicization of religions,\" he said, adding
\nthat if this was widely understood, nobody should ever again use
\nreligion to mobilize solidarity or justify their political ends.<\/p>\n
Feisal said ICMI, as a Moslem organization, is expected to
\ncounter or neutralize any attempt to politicize religion.<\/p>\n
He said the Moslem community in Indonesia plays a strategic
\nrole in promoting the integration of Indonesia's diverse society.<\/p>\n
In fact, when it comes to maintaining national stability, he
\nsaid, \"the role of the Moslem community is the biggest, the most
\nimportant.\"<\/p>\n
\"That is why the Moslem community must participate in forging
\nunity and cohesion,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Feisal also urged ICMI to match words with deeds.<\/p>\n
ICMI has professed to operate outside of practical politics
\nand said it would concentrate its attention and resources on the
\ndevelopment of Indonesia's human resources. It has also pledged
\nto help the government's drive to eliminate poverty.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that the implementation of your programs will not be
\ndifferent from its resolved goals,\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. later also addressed
\nthe ICMI gathering, underlining the need for the organization to
\nprove its value to the community.<\/p>\n
\"People need to see the manifestation of ICMI's thoughts and
\nideas into reality,\" Yogie said.<\/p>\n
ICMI, as an intellectuals organization, is expected to
\nconcentrate in generating ideas and new thoughts for the
\ngovernment, he said.<\/p>\n
While welcoming the presence of mass organizations in general,
\nYogie expressed anxiety at the recent trend of establishing new
\nmass organizations although many of them did not appear to have
\ngrassroots supports.<\/p>\n
\"These new mass organizations may divide the people and
\nendanger the nation's unity,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Political analysts said some of these new organizations have
\nbeen established in response to the growing political power of
\nICMI.(imn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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