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)