ABRI seeks Moslem leader's help
ABRI seeks Moslem leader's help
SURABAYA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung asked Indonesian Moslem leaders to help manage social unrest, and beware of attempts to politicize religion.
Addressing a gathering of 500 East Java ulemas at the Sunan Ampel Grand Mosque here on Tuesday, Feisal named a number of racial and religiously-charged riots that occurred during the past year as examples of unrest which could harm national stability.
He named riots in East Nusa Tenggara, East Timor, Pekalongan, Central Java and Purwakarta, West Java.
He acknowledged that the political climate has recently warmed, and said that was "normal" as the nation approaches the 1997 general elections and the 1998 presidential election.
"At that time, every social and political grouping, for various reasons and excuses, will want to show off their strength," he said.
"However, we should always be watchful of political activities, especially attempts to politicize religions, which may threaten the existing political system and structure," he warned.
Feisal was accompanied by ABRI spokesman Brig. Gen. Soewarno, assistant of intelligence to ABRI's chief of general affairs Maj. Gen. Yusuf Kertanegara, and ABRI chief of social and political affairs Lt. Gen. M. Ma'ruf.
Among the ulemas attending the gathering were chairman of the East Java branch of the Indonesian Ulemas Council, K.H. Misbach, and chairman of the provincial branch of Nahdlatul Ulama, Imron Hamzah.
Feisal said ABRI had cooperated with ulemas in many of its endeavors. "Ulemas are partners in our struggle," he said, adding that the East Java ulemas were also fighters during the revolution in the 1940s.
"This is why we ask the ulemas, with their wisdom, piety and their function as the community's role model, to help preserve national resilience," he continued.
Dr. Saleh Al Jufri, the organizer of the gathering, told The Jakarta Post that the event was held to appease the concerns of the Indonesian Moslem community following the religious tensions in East Timor and Pekalongan, Central Java.
"The incidents were a blow for Moslems," he said.
In September, a number of riots took place in at least two regencies in predominantly Roman Catholic East Timor. The riots were triggered by a Moslem official's denigrating remarks about Catholicism.
A number of school buildings, a market and other public facilities were damaged, and hundreds of migrant Moslems fled the region.
Moslems in Pekalongan targeted neighbors of Chinese descent, following reports that a mentally-ill Chinese man tore up a Koran.
"Cases like these should be nipped very quickly by establishing approaches between ABRI and Moslems," Al Jufri said.
Politicking
Al Jufri denied any politicking behind the gathering. "There's no motif, except hope that such riots will not happen in East Java," he said.
Saleh and the Institute for Islamic Information and Laboratory, which he chairs, mobilized hundreds of ulemas in early 1993 to sign a petition to support the re-election of President Soeharto for 1993-1998, and the election of Try Sutrisno as Vice President.
"No, I'm not thinking about it (political maneuvering) anymore," Al Jufri insisted. He admitted, however, that the Moslem community should carefully examine the current political situation.
Most of the ulemas who were present at the gathering had also signed the petition, which was reportedly backed by ABRI at the time.
Feisal was positive about the recent establishment of a number of mass organizations.
"They are sign of the community's growing enthusiasm to participate in the life of the nation," he said. "Let's just hope that the new organizations will abide by the state ideology Pancasila and the existing rules."
"Let's also hope that the history of conflicts because of the multitude of mass and political organizations, will not be repeated," he said.
Five new organizations supported by some of the nation's most high profile figures have been established in the past year. The surge was controversial and brought forth the usual question of whether the organizations would undermine national unity.
Disintegration in the past, Feisal said, was probably caused by those who differed just for the sake of being different, and the still weak feeling of nationalism among Indonesians. (15/swe)