Megawati call for religious tolerance

Megawati call for religious tolerance

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has called for tolerance,
peace and justice among people of different religions and ethnic
origins, saying that living in peace is a right for all human
beings.

Speaking during a ceremony commemorating the revelation of the
Koran on Sunday, Megawati reminded the country that it was built
based on the understanding of difference and the aim to achieve
prosperity through unity among its people.

"It is appropriate for a country to provide peace and
prosperity for its people, despite differences of religion,
belief, race and ethnic origin," Megawati remarked at the event
held at Istiqlal Grand Mosque.

"Religions teach us to avoid claiming ourselves as the single
holders of the truth... We should realize that truth and justice
have universal meanings that should be established through a
common understanding," the President said.

"Truth should not be interpreted only to fulfill the interests
of certain groups or nations... such interpretation would never
create justice and peace," she remarked.

Megawati's comments came amid a rise in religious conflicts in
several provinces of the country, in particular Poso, Central
Sulawesi.

Without referring to certain groups, the President was
alluding to radical segments of society here who have adopted
religion to employ their own brand of justice and impose their
own distinct values on society.

During the celebration, the President also inaugurated tax
deductible zakat, a religious tax that Muslims have to pay,
saying that such an initiative would support efforts to eradicate
poverty in the country.

Present at the ceremony with Megawati were some of the
country's high-ranking officials, including House of
Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and several Cabinet
ministers.

Most of the officials were impressed by a speech made by
Abdullah Gymnastiar from Daarut Tauhid Islamic Boarding School in
Bandung, West Java, who underlined the importance of living in
peace and simplicity.

The preacher said that the country's leaders should set an
example of living a simple life and place their desire for wealth
and position behind them.

"It is very important for people to change themselves first
before they start to change the world, as leaders should set an
example for the people they lead," the preacher said.