President renews call for diversity<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid renewed his call for
\nthe nation to accept diversity in religion, ethnicity and
\ncultural background as a heavenly blessing and urged people not
\nto force their will against each other in the name of religion.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a 90-minute dialog with the non-Muslim community
\nand leaders of women's organizations, the President said
\nworshipers of any religion deserved equal opportunity to practice
\ntheir faith, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs should give
\nthem equal treatment.<\/p>\n
\"It is just normal that the Ministry of Religious Affairs is
\ndominated by Muslims. But that does not mean that it eliminates
\nother people's rights,\" the President said, amid a warm applause
\nfrom the audience who packed the Pola building, near the
\nProclamation Statue in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The dialog, broadcasted live by state-run channel TVRI,
\nfollowed the President's promise to hold regular dialogs with
\nsociety. He regularly holds a meeting with Muslims after Friday
\nprayers.<\/p>\n
Muslims make up about 80 percent of Indonesia's population of
\n210 million, making it the world's largest Muslim country.<\/p>\n
Sectarian clashes have rocked the Maluku islands over the past
\nyear, leaving more than 2,000 dead.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman pledged that his government would end state
\nintervention in religious affairs, including organizational
\nmatters of a religious council, saying religions must be
\nindependent from the state.<\/p>\n
\"Of course not all citizens understand this. It takes time to
\nconvince them, because many people still believe that religions
\nmust act like an institution,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
During the hearing moderated by acting State Secretary Bondan
\nGunawan, Catholic priest Mudji Sutrisno questioned the importance
\nof the controversial joint ministerial decree issued in 1969 by
\nthe Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs. It stipulates that the construction of houses of worship
\nrequires prior permission from local residents and afterward a
\ngovernment permit.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said he could understand the objection of non-
\nMuslims to the decree.<\/p>\n
\"It is not fair if Muslims protest the construction of
\nchurches or other places of worship while there are hundreds of
\nthousands of mosques built without any permits,\" Abdurrahman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said he would not likely revoke the decree in a hasty
\nmanner, but promised to promote his belief that the decree needs
\nreviewing for the sake of equality.<\/p>\n
\"I have been President for five months. To convince ulemas,
\npriests and monks is not easy. It is just as difficult as
\nconvincing bureaucrats,\" the President said while chuckling.<\/p>\n
He later told the audience an anecdote describing how severe
\nhuman rights abuse was during the New Order regime.<\/p>\n
\"Experts and archeologists from all over the world were
\nfrustrated as they failed to identify a mummy in Egypt. But an
\nIndonesian entered the pyramid and after 30 minutes he left it
\nand announced the name and birth date of the mummy.<\/p>\n
\"When the foreign experts asked about his method to interview
\nthe mummy, the Indonesian just replied 'I have worked as a police
\nofficer for 20 years',\" he said to the laughter of the audience.<\/p>\n
The President also touched on other issues like the
\noverstaffed State Secretariat.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman disclosed he received many letters from people who
\ncomplained about the State Secretariat.<\/p>\n
\"I am served by 4,000 staff members. The number is so large,
\nbut they often do not know where to deliver my letters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He smiled when Zumrotin K. Susilo, an executive of the
\nIndonesian Consumer Protection Foundation, complained about the
\ngovernment dragging its feet in tracing and punishing corruptors.<\/p>\n
\"Don't forget mbak that the corruptors are very smart about
\nhiding their wealth ... We know who are the corruptors, but it is
\nnot easy to find the evidence.\" (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-renews-call-for-diversity-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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