NU opts for tolerance, not decree revocation<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The revocation of a joint ministerial decree on the establishment
\nof houses of worship would not stop violence against followers of
\nother religions, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Hasyim Muzadi said
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He argued that the key issue in settling religious conflict in
\nthe world's largest Muslim nation was promoting tolerance and
\nimproving interfaith relations.<\/p>\n
Calls are growing for the government to scrap a decree issued
\njointly by the religious affairs ministry and the home ministry
\nin 1969, after Islamic hard-liners forcibly shut down dozens of
\nChristian places of worship in Bandung and neighboring districts
\nin West Java recently.<\/p>\n
Current Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf has said there was
\na need to review the decree, which he conceded was outdated.<\/p>\n
However, Hasyim said revoking the decree was not a solution to
\nthe problem.<\/p>\n
"Should the SKB (the ministerial decree) be revoked while
\nchurches and their neighbors don't have good relations, it would
\ncontinue to create problems. So, I call on Muslims to increase
\ntolerance and on outsiders not to interfere," he was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
The ministerial decree, blamed partly by some people for
\nattacks on followers of other faiths, requires that permission
\nfrom local residents and authorities to establish places of
\nworship be obtained before construction starts.<\/p>\n
A similar sediment was voiced by clerics from East Java's
\nMadura island, who said the ministerial decree should be made
\ninto law in order to strengthen regulations on the establishment
\nof places of worship.<\/p>\n
"The SKB is substantial in religious life. It's a pillar that
\nshould not be weakened, let alone revoked ... I disagree with the
\nperception that the decree has led to violations of human
\nrights," Madurese Muslim cleric Kholilurrohman said recently.<\/p>\n
Hasyim also appealed to Christians to engage in "self-
\ncorrection" with regard to their relations with Muslims and
\nothers in their community.<\/p>\n
"For instance, building a musholla (a small mosque) in Bali is
\nsometimes difficult (in certain areas) but sometimes easy.
\nLikewise for the establishment of a mosque in East Nusa Tenggara
\n(NTT). The most important thing is how Muslim and Christian
\nleaders have 'conditioned' their respective followers," he said.
\nBali is a predominantly Hindu province while NTT is mainly a
\nChristian province.<\/p>\n
Hasyim said promoting tolerance was a serious problem that
\nshould be settled in the long term with "hard efforts", adding
\nthat he was optimistic that in time Indonesians would be very
\nreligious but very tolerant.<\/p>\n
The leader of NU, the nation's biggest Muslim organization,
\nreiterated his call for police to take firm action against those
\ninvolved in closing down houses of worship in Bandung.<\/p>\n
"The authorities must not be afraid to enforce the law. Don't
\nmake me get out there on the field. If they need public
\nassistance, we will give it," Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
The National Police have not arrested any hard-liners grouped
\nin the Anti-Apostasy Movement Alliance (AGAP), which was blamed
\nfor the forcible closure of churches in West Java, despite
\nmounting calls from many Muslim leaders.<\/p>\n
The police have justified their inaction against AGAP members,
\nincluding the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), by saying the church
\nclosures were not violent. However, the law forbids people from
\ntaking the law into their own hands.<\/p>\n
During their meeting on Monday, Hasyim told FPI leader Jaffar
\nSidiq that his group had to stop being violent when carrying out
\nreligious activities.<\/p>\n
"I reminded him that what FPI has done is wrong. I read out
\nKoranic verses that forbid that (the use of violence). It has
\ntarnished the image of Muslims," he said.<\/p>\n
The violent campaign by the FPI, Hasyim added, also made it
\ndifficult for Indonesia to improve its economic and political
\nties with Western countries.<\/p>\n
In response, Jaffar said he could accept Hasyim's comments,
\nbut made no assurances that his group would stop using violence.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-opts-for-tolerance-not-decree-revocation-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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