Religious leaders join forces in preventing riots<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In a fresh call for harmony, leaders of five
\nreligious communities pledged on Saturday to maintain peace and
\nsupport for strict measures against perpetrators of violence.<\/p>\n
Muslim representative Habib Ali bin Abdurrahman Assegaf,
\nProtestant representative Rev. Sularso Sopater, Catholic
\nrepresentative Aloysius O., Hindu cleric Nyoman Purwaka and
\nBuddhist priest Bhiksuni Firyaguna signed a pact to reject
\nanarchic conduct and all acts prone to causing chaos under the
\nmask of religious interest.<\/p>\n
\"We will do our best to preserve peace among people of
\ndifferent religions. We support the police to take the strictest
\nmeasures against those proven to provoke religious or sectarian
\nconflicts,\" Habib told 500 people packing the South Jakarta
\nPolice station.<\/p>\n
Attendants of the gathering included Jakarta Governor
\nSutiyoso, city police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, who
\nalso sponsored the meeting, and representatives of political
\nparties and religious groups.<\/p>\n
Sectarian clashes remain unabated in Maluku, with the death
\ntoll in the year-long conflict estimated at over 2,000. This week
\nalso saw religious-related violence in Mataram, the capital of
\nWest Nusa Tenggara. Jakarta was also rocked several times by
\ninterreligious enmities.<\/p>\n
The five religious leaders said in the joint statement that
\nthey would comply with \"check and recheck procedures\" should they
\nhear reports of alleged religious harassment.<\/p>\n
Habib stressed that a religion could pose a danger if its
\nbelievers lost their common sense.<\/p>\n
\"People now tend to lose rationality when they hear that
\npeople from a different religion are trying to convert others to
\ntheirs. Just stick to your own religious beliefs and maintain
\npeace,\" Habib said.<\/p>\n
In his address, Sularso, who chairs the Indonesian Communion
\nof Churches (PGI) told how he and former Indonesian Ulemas
\nCouncil (MUI) chairman Ali Yafie reacted to leaflets which were
\nrecently circulated to cause rifts between Muslims and Christians
\nin Greater Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"One of the leaflets was about a genocide of Christian
\nAmbonese in Greater Jakarta. I immediately rang Ali Yafie, who
\ntold me that it was spread by irresponsible parties,\" Sularso
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Aloysius criticized the government for allowing the \"small
\nincidents to go unnoticed\".<\/p>\n
\"Problems start from small incidents. When we neglect those
\nsmall things and people are provoked, they will spiral out of
\ncontrol and there is no stopping them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Ambon, Maluku Military Commander Brig. Gen. Max
\nTamaela denied on Saturday allegations that military personnel
\nwere involved in the prolonged sectarian clashes in the province.<\/p>\n
\"The allegations are baseless because the reason for the
\npresence of security personnel here is to secure peace and
\nmaintain order,\" Tamaela was quoted as saying by Antara.<\/p>\n
Tamaela also denied rumors that he was not fully supported by
\nhis personnel, saying that there had been \"solid and firm
\ncooperation\" between the commander and personnel.<\/p>\n
There are now 15 battalions of military reinforcements in
\nMaluku and North Maluku, plus two battalions of police-augmented
\ntroops.<\/p>\n
Tamaela said at least eight people were killed in Friday's
\nviolence between Muslims and Christians in the Sahu district area
\nof Jailolo, North Maluku.<\/p>\n
According to the official figure, at least 771 people have
\nbeen killed in the religious violence in North Maluku since late
\nlast month. The province's MUI office claimed that the death toll
\nsurpassed 2,000 in the weeks of conflict alone.<\/p>\n
Minor clashes were reported in North Maluku despite the heavy
\npresence of security personnel. At least 25 people were injured
\nduring the latest fighting in Malifut district in Ternate.<\/p>\n
The violence came amid a joint operation by the military and
\npolice to seize weapons in Ternate and on Halmahera island on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Security Commander of North Maluku Lt. Col. Widagdo Adi Wijoyo
\nsaid the operation was initiated following an order from the
\nMaluku Military chief.<\/p>\n
\"It will become a routine and will be carried out thoroughly
\nfrom Ternate to other areas on Halmahera island,\" Widagdo said.<\/p>\n
Security personnel confiscated five homemade guns and dozens
\nof sharp weapons from motorists and motorcyclists, but no arrests
\nwere made.<\/p>\n
Widagdo denied that the raid was conducted due to the planned
\nvisit of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to Ternate on
\nTuesday. (ylt\/emf\/byg)<\/p>",
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