In defense of Amien Rais

In defense of Amien Rais

I criticized Amien Rais when he failed to see the violence in
the Maluku as a local conflict -- something that will not
necessarily color the relationship between Muslims and Christians
elsewhere. But I have never heard him say that "tolerance is
absurd".

Regrettably, that is what David Hirst writes in The global
decline of Islamic fundamentalism, which you printed on your
editorial page on Feb. 17, 2000. Hirst's complete sentence is
even more slanderous: "...Amien Rais, the Speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly, says 'tolerance is absurd', giving the
green light for Christians to be massacred by Muslims".

I seriously question Hirst's quality as an unbiased
commentator on the matter. Bigotry should not prevail on any
side.

GOENAWAN MOHAMAD

Jakarta