Soeharto calls for religious, ethnic unity<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called for religious and
\nethnic unity over the weekend and reminded the nation that
\neverybody belongs to the same human race.<\/p>\n
Addressing a gathering of Moslems at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque
\nhere Saturday, Soeharto said the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad
\ntaught that all people are bound by one human race.<\/p>\n
"In the life of the nation and state we must struggle for the
\nwelfare of the whole nation, for all Indonesians, irrespective of
\ntheir race, ethnicity or religion," Soeharto said in the
\ngathering held to commemorate Nuzulul Qur'an, or the descent of
\nthe Koran, the holy book of Islam.<\/p>\n
He said that the essence of fasting in this month of Ramadhan
\nis to control appetites. People who can control their passions,
\nattitudes and behavior will show compassion for other people and
\nthink of common good, he said.<\/p>\n
"Controlling (our) passions trains us to become patient in
\nfacing misfortune and gives us the spiritual strength to take up
\nchallenges," he said.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest challenges of development confronting the
\nIndonesian people, he said, was how to deal with the rapid
\npassage of time. He also called for increased religious
\nawareness.<\/p>\n
"As a religious nation we do not want to see our religious
\nawareness fade. Religion has great value for Indonesia and for
\ndeveloping mental and spiritual resilience.<\/p>\n
"Strong religiosity is one of the Indonesian nation's
\ncultural strengths and spiritual assets," he said.<\/p>\n
Saturday's was the latest of the President's recent calls for
\nnational unity. In his year-end speech on Dec. 31, for instance,
\nSoeharto described how the nation was repeatedly rocked in 1996
\nby upheavals caused by social, cultural, political, economic and
\nreligious tensions.<\/p>\n
He said then that all upheavals, no matter how minor, could
\nharm the nation. This is why Indonesia should hold on to the
\nstate-ideology Pancasila and uphold national interests and unity,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Some of the ugliest rioting and violence occurred in Indonesia
\nlast year. Among the incidents were an attack in June against
\nmigrants in East Timor, the July riots in Jakarta, the attacks on
\nchurches in Situbondo (East Java) and Tasikmalaya (West Java) in
\nOctober and December, and an ethnic clash between Dayak tribesmen
\nand Madurese people in Sanggau Ledo, West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Also attending Saturday's gathering were Vice President Try
\nSutrisno, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher, a number
\nof cabinet ministers and foreign dignitaries.<\/p>\n
About 87 percent of Indonesia's 200 million people are Moslem,
\nwith around 5 percent Christian or Catholic and 5 percent
\nBuddhist or Hindu. (swe)<\/p>",
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