Islam's role in nationalism debated<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Moslem leaders responded to charges that Islam
\nand the powerful Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals
\n(ICMI) spearheaded growing sectarian politics here, saying the
\nreligion unites, rather than divides, the country.<\/p>\n
\"Islam is the glue that helps bond the nation together,\" Dr.
\nAmien Rais said during a discussion on Islam and nationalism on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, with its estimated 200 ethnic groups and 300
\ndialects, could easily disintegrate, he said. Islam teaches its
\nadherents to have a strong sense of nationalism but at the same
\ntime avoid xenophobia, he added.<\/p>\n
\"As the dominant religion here, Islam helps us maintain
\nnationalism amid such plurality,\" said Amien of Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Leading proselytizer Hussein Umar from the Council for Islamic
\nPropagation (DDII) said he found recent public discourses on the
\nissue trying to polarize the Islamic movement on the one hand,
\nand nationalism on the other.<\/p>\n
\"We should not make such a polarization,\" Hussein said,
\nquoting recent remarks by the Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher.<\/p>\n
He said that he sensed a certain \"Islamophobia\" among those
\nwho created a furor by suggesting that Islam promotes sectarian
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
The former student activist during the chaotic 1960s defended
\nICMI against accusations of sectarianism. \"Since ICMI was
\nestablished, people are no longer ashamed to say that they're
\nMoslem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The issue of sectarianism, he added, was simply new packaging
\nfor old accusations against Moslem activists. \"They used to call
\nus right-wing extremists or fundamentalists, now they call us
\nsectarian or primordial groups,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Out of their dislike of Islam, some people sought ways to
\nundermine the solidly flourishing Moslem groups by blowing up the
\nissue of Islam versus nationalism, he said.<\/p>\n
Another former student activist, Eky Syahrudin, caused an
\nuproar at the discussion when he refuted both Amien and Hussein's
\nobservations.<\/p>\n
Economic motives<\/p>\n
\"No, it's not religion which holds a nation together,\" Eky
\nasserted. \"It's economic motives, the need for economic justice,
\nwhich determine whether a group of people will stay together or
\nfall apart.\"<\/p>\n
The former member of the influential Moslem Students
\nOrganization (HMI) cited Pakistan, Russia and some Arab countries
\nwhich adhered to the same religions and spoke the same languages,
\nbut ended up embroiled in economic disputes.<\/p>\n
The question of who holds economic hegemony is even more
\nimportant than the issue of religious leadership, he said. \"Sure,
\nIslam is big, but it should not claim to be representing the
\ncountry,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The issue of a Moslem sectarian movement has grown rapidly
\nsince late last year, following the success of various Moslem
\ngroups in pressuring the government to adopt certain policies
\nwhich benefited the groups.<\/p>\n
The abolition of the SDSB state lottery and the government's
\nopen support for many Islamic causes, including sending military
\nobservers to Bosnia-Herzegovina, were considered proof of
\nMoslems' clamor for an enhanced role in the domestic political
\nand social arenas. ICMI and its leaders have been charged as
\nbeing the driving force behind these developments.<\/p>\n
The Saturday discussion was held by HMI and the Institute for
\nMoslems' Alms Management, and also featured senior political
\nobserver Deliar Noer and historian Taufiq Abdullah.<\/p>\n
Taufiq said that throughout the country's history, Indonesian
\nMoslems have always displayed a great awareness of national
\nissues or nationalism. \"Islam grew here through a series of
\nreforms and changes,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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