Indonesian Moslems need to put aside differences<\/p>\n
By Santi W.E. Soekanto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): When Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid agreed to
\nappear together during a book launch last December at Sunda
\nKelapa Mosque in Central Jakarta, some people saw it as a
\nreconciliation of Moslem groupings.<\/p>\n
Maybe the public was reading too much into the rare meeting
\nor, rather, they saw what they wanted to see. After all, the
\nMoslem leaders represent the nation's two largest organizations,
\nwhich have a combined following of 58 million people -- a mass
\nthat some people call the Moslem power base.<\/p>\n
But Amien's role in Muhammadiyah and Abdurrahman's with
\nNahdlatul Ulama, have for years represented the groups'
\ndifferences in how they practice Islam.<\/p>\n
And because the two men stand at opposite ends of the
\npolitical arena, they do not exactly see eye to eye.<\/p>\n
Despite growing political clout, deep down many Moslems remain
\ninsecure about the role they will play in the nation's future.<\/p>\n
If there is a succession of national leadership in the near
\nfuture, will they be included in the new elite or will they be
\nsidelined as in the past? Should they enter \"the system\" or
\nremain on the outer so as to create a stronger base?<\/p>\n
Mostly, however, many Moslems realize that there is a long way
\nto go in terms of unity and mutual understanding.<\/p>\n
The last two years have been a test for Indonesian Moslems
\nbecause of violence and upheavals which have not only hurt people
\nof other religions -- whose houses of worship were either burned
\nor damaged -- but also saw friction among Moslems.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 26 last year, a riot rocked the West Java town of
\nTasikmalaya after police mistreated a local Moslem preacher. Four
\npeople were killed and dozens of houses and churches, as well as
\nmany other public facilities, were destroyed.<\/p>\n
The town's 5,000 residents of Chinese descent sought shelter
\nat a nearby military base out of fear for their lives, while more
\nthan 12,000 others were left jobless because their factories were
\nrazed.<\/p>\n
This particular incident sparked controversy because of the
\nalleged involvement of Moslem youth activists who affiliated
\nthemselves with Nahdlatul Ulama.<\/p>\n
In January this year, another riot rocked Rengasdengklok in
\nWest Java after a woman of Chinese descent insulted local Moslem
\nyouths. What started out as a loud argument escalated into a
\nrampage that destroyed houses of worship and public facilities.<\/p>\n
In February, one person died in East Timor and 86 houses were
\nburned when a frenzied mob of 6,000 Ambeno regency residents went
\non a rampage over a slight against a local priest. This time it
\nwas a Moslem who died in the unrest.<\/p>\n
March saw a riot in Pekalongan, Central Java, which spread and
\nreemerged in neighboring areas as the country prepared for the
\ngeneral elections. Many of the riots involved Moslem supporters
\nof the Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nruling Golkar.<\/p>\n
In May, a total of 133 people died in Banjarmasin, South
\nKalimantan, when unrest broke out among Moslem supporters of PPP
\nand Golkar. A further 118 people had to seek medical treatment
\nwhile 181 people were arrested. A number of shopping centers were
\ndamaged by fire, along with 130 houses and a church.<\/p>\n
In September, mobs of people went on the rampage through
\nUjungpandang in South Sulawesi during a riot with ethnic
\novertones. The unrest erupted following reports that a nine-year-
\nold girl was hacked to death by a man of Chinese descent, who
\nhappened to be mentally ill.<\/p>\n
It was mainly Moslems involved in the riots and this prompted
\nmany people to ask why Indonesian Moslems have such an angry
\ntemperament.<\/p>\n
The hatred that emerged after such incidents eclipsed
\nimportant factors such as: a mob does not have individuality,
\npeople are easily provoked if they feel discriminated against
\nsocially and economically, and there could have been political
\nmaneuvering behind the unrest.<\/p>\n
But Moslems were hurt too this year and now some Moslems view
\ntheir brothers with deep mistrust or even contempt.<\/p>\n
High-ranking officials and religious leaders, including
\nMoslems and those of other faiths, strove in their speeches to
\nconvince others that it was not religious hatred that sparked the
\nunrest.<\/p>\n
But there can be no denying that the image of Indonesian
\nMoslems has been tainted by the unrest. This was why many Moslems
\nwould like, and hope, to see their leaders -- for once and for
\nall -- put aside differences and work together to strengthen
\nunity and bring about greater tolerance and respect for each
\nother.<\/p>",
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