Ethno-religious clashes need to be addressed
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries need concerted efforts to deal with ethnic and religious conflicts in the region, experts have said.
Ethno-religious conflicts are becoming a transnational problem because people from other countries involve themselves for sectarian sentiment, said Kamarul Zaman Askandar from Malaysian University Sain.
Kamarul, who heads the newly established Southeast Asia- Conflict Studies Network, was presenting to the media on Thursday conclusions of a three-day regional workshop on ethnic and religious conflict in Southeast Asia.
Experts from nine of 10 Southeast Asian countries and several European countries participated in the workshop.
"Solidarity of Muslims in Malaysia and the other countries in Southeast Asia on recent religious conflicts in Indonesia, for instance, is very strong," he said.
Religious conflicts in Indonesia have been raging in Ambon, Maluku. The Indonesian police have confirmed foreign involvement, notably fundamentalist groups in Malaysia which send their fighters to Ambon.
"Therefore, ethnic and religious conflicts in Indonesia and elsewhere should be treated as a regional problem that requires the participation of neighboring countries," Kamarul said.
Kamarul said that ethnic and religious conflict became a serious threat to security in Southeast Asia as the result of the economic crisis that has hit the region.
He said that Indonesia was the most prone country in Southeast Asia for religious and ethnic conflicts.
"In religious conflicts, people believe that they will go to Heaven if they die while helping people from the same religion irrespective of nationality," he said.
Sociologist Lambang Trijono, who is also a researcher at PPSK, said that the network would urge ASEAN leaders to form a special commission on ethno-religious conflict resolution in the region.
"We will also encourage people in the region to form a joint institution for the same purpose," he said. (44)