Protests grow over Tarmizi Taher's remark<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Protests are pouring in over Minister of
\nReligious Affairs Tarmizi Taher's recent statement that rioters
\nare allowed to be killed.<\/p>\n
Said Agil Siraj and Sutrisno Muchdam, executives of the
\ncountry's two largest Moslem organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\nand Muhammadiyah, said that he should not have made the
\nstatement. The organizations have 30 million and 28 million
\nfollowers respectively.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi told 500 ulemas in East Java on Tuesday that "the
\nblood and lives of recent rioters are halal (religiously
\npermissible)... to be shed." He could not be reached for comment
\nyesterday because he was abroad, according to his staff.<\/p>\n
Said Agil said the statement was not based on any Islamic
\nreferences.<\/p>\n
"As a national religious leader, Tarmizi should have spoken
\nusing only true Islamic references," he said, adding that Islam
\nrespected the lives, blood and honor of all people.<\/p>\n
Said cited a saying of Prophet Muhammad that it was better for
\na judge to free a person of all charges than to sentence him
\nwrongly.<\/p>\n
He said the qishash (death penalty) should only apply if a
\nperson committed murder and if "crime had become part of his
\npersonality".<\/p>\n
"Those involved in the recent riots are not criminals who
\ndeserve such a penalty. (Government officials) have said that the
\nrioters were provoked," he said.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah deputy chairman Sutrisno said Tarmizi should have
\navoided using terms which could provoke the public.<\/p>\n
The riots should be settled according to law, he said.<\/p>\n
But Sutrisno conceded that: "Minister Tarmizi might have only
\nbeen warning Moslems that widespread riots should not happen
\nagain."<\/p>\n
Students of Yogyakarta's state-run Islamic Institute demanded
\nyesterday that Tarmizi resign over his statement.<\/p>\n
Five students organizations at the institute, including the
\nAssociation of Moslem Students and the NU-affiliated student
\nassociation PMII, said Tarmizi's statement could encourage
\nforceful means for settling national problems. (11\/23)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protests-grow-over-tarmizi-tahers-remark-1447893297",
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