Church warns of rumors amid economic crisis
Church warns of rumors amid economic crisis
JAKARTA (JP): An influential religious organization warned
yesterday against divisive rumors exploiting drought-related
problems as well as the financial crisis that rocked the country
recently.
Mgr. Josep Suwatan, the newly elected chairman of the
Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI), said people should learn to
"share another's trials and tribulations" and to "refrain from
blaming one another" for the nation's current misfortune.
Suwatan also said the government should pay adequate attention
to the aspirations, restlessness, and plight of the people,
especially youth.
Accompanied by the organization's new secretary-general, Mgr.
Johannes Hadiwikarta, Suwatan said that despite a spate of
religious-orientated riots over the past year, relations between
different religions have been good.
"None of the leaders of the other religions that we met ever
wanted those riots to happen. Religious harmony has always been
there for all of us to foster," he said.
"But we have to be aware of the political elements that
disturbed the harmony... the riots that occurred so suddenly and
no one knew why. We must remain on alert," Suwatan said.
At least three major riots rocked the country last year and
early this year, claiming the lives of several innocent people
and resulting in the demolition of scores of religious and public
buildings.
The first riot took place in Situbondo, a small town in East
Java, in October last year where three people were killed. It was
followed about two months later by a similar riot in the West
Java town of Tasikmalaya in which five were killed.
Another religious-orientated riot took place earlier this year
in Rengasdengklok, West Java, in which hundreds of homes
belonging to people of Chinese descent were torched. No deaths
were reported.
Many observers have expressed concern that social unrest will
continue to grow in the next few months as the effects of the
economic crisis, the severe drought and the haze caused by forest
fires adds to people's frustration.
In a statement read by Suwatan, the conference called on the
nation to be "steadfast, patient, and strong in faith" in face of
the crisis, and not to be provoked into rioting.
"We should instead foster unity, brotherhood, and
solidarity... (and) share with those in need, without letting
religious, ethnic, or primordial matters come between us," the
statement read.
The statement continued: "We are aware that we (the nation)
are now facing a crisis. As the government has been responsive in
dealing with the currency crisis by introducing a new monetary
policy, we hope the government will also be responsive in dealing
with other sources of the crisis."
Suwatan said "other sources of the crisis" included rampant
collusion and corruption practices plaguing the country.
"The government must understand and address these problems,
and anticipate them well to avoid upheavals... Even (dealing
with) these crises will become a turning point for the nation to
correct itself and leap toward progress," the statement said.
(aan)