Megawati asks clerics to fight against fanaticism
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri asked the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) on Thursday to fight against the fanaticism in Islam that had given the religion its dark image.
Addressing the congress of the country's largest Muslim organization, the president said as the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia should be able to show the true peaceful teachings of Islam.
"Isn't it our intention to show that Islam is a peaceful religion and is capable of creating prosperity in the world?" Megawati asked the congress rhetorically.
She called on the congress to take the initiative to guide the small Muslim groups that had wrongfully implemented the teachings of Islam.
"Hopefully, we can help or even save the small groups, which often claim to be the representatives of Indonesian Muslims and who impose their narrow views that are actually harmful to Islam and the country," Megawati said.
NU and the second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah are well known as moderate Muslim organizations that respect pluralism, which represents the majority of the Indonesian Muslims.
On Wednesday, senior officials of the two organizations and church leaders agreed to oppose proposals by hard-line groups which demanded the Constitution be changed to allow the imposition of sharia (Islamic) law.
However, the peaceful image of Indonesia was challenged by the presence of hard-line Muslim groups such as Laskar Jihad and the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).
The groups, which only represent a small number of Indonesian Muslims, have continued to take the law into their own hands and conduct raids throughout the country on what the believe are unlawful activities, like gambling and drinking alcohol.
Their activities have also allegedly added to the prolonged sectarian clashes in Ambon, Maluku, and in Poso, Central Sulawesi, during the last three years.
The international community has repeatedly questioned the true image of Islam in Indonesia because of the activities of these groups.
Megawati said in her speech that there were many Muslims who had been "living in the dark" and should be lifted out from their narrow religious fanaticism.
"We can also broaden our religious perspective by promoting the loving and forgiving attitude and annulling the narrow-minded view that to have a different (opinion or stance) is wrong," she said.
The president also called on religious leaders to play a greater role and give examples in building the peaceful and plural attitude.
"We need the help of the religious leaders to widen the perception and we expect Nahdlatul Ulama to help educate the nation," she said.