Minister asks Muslims to show they love peace

Minister asks Muslims to show they love peace

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono urged Muslims here on Monday to demonstrate to
the world that Islam was a peaceful religion, which was against
terrorism.

"This is the right moment for Muslims in the country to prove
to the world that Islam loves peace and is against violence," the
minister told a news conference in Jakarta.

His statement came as about 150,000 supporters of 64-year-old
Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir clashed with police in the
Central Java town of Surakarta on Monday as they tried to prevent
officers from removing the cleric from his hospital bed.

Solahuddin Wahid, the leader of the country's largest Muslim
organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said Susilo should have added
that not all Muslims here used violence as the majority of them
were moderates and displayed a commitment to peace.

"He (Susilo) should clarify his statement because it gives the
impression that Indonesian Islam in general is not against
violence and terrorism. You know the NU and Muhammadiyah have
been campaigning for peace among Muslims," he told The Jakarta
Post.

Solahuddin said Muslims from extremist groups had often
tarnished the image of Islam by attacking nightclubs and other
entertainment centers or perpetrating violence against followers
of other religions.

He advised Susilo, who has been mandated by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri to coordinate efforts to combat terrorism, to meet
with ulemas in order to help the government handle the most
crucial problems.

Similarly, the former chairman of the Indonesian Council of
Ulemas (MUI), Ali Yafie said: "More than 180 million Muslims in
this country love peace and only a handful of others oppose it".

He questioned why only Muslims were branded as terrorists,
while terrorism did not recognize religion. He said many
followers of other religions had committed terrorist attacks
across the globe, but they were still free. He did not elaborate
any further.

"They (the government and the world) should be fair in making
their accusations. From the beginning to the end, the vast
majority of Muslims here love peace and are against violence,"
Ali told the Post separately.

In a bid to win public support for the government's measures
in fighting terrorism, Susilo said Indonesians should be united
in saying no to terrorism.

"They (the terrorists) have embarrassed us in front of the
international community. They want to destroy our self-
confidence. They want us to be divided. They want us to blame
each other," he said.

"We have to make terrorists our common enemy," Susilo said.

In the wake of the heinous Bali bombings on Oct. 12, the
government has taken steps in its campaign against terrorism by
imposing stricter measures against certain hard-line groups.

The government has repeatedly tried to convince local Muslims
that the war on terrorism is not directed at Muslim groups or
their members, unless they were found to be involved in those
activities.

Susilo reiterated that the government was not pursuing any
Muslim nor had it labeled their groups as being connected to a
terrorist network operating in Indonesia.

"Indonesia has always rejected any attempt to link Islam with
terrorists. We brush aside any accusation that we are weak in
handling terrorism," Susilo said in a prepared speech.

"The government is certain that Indonesian Muslims can prove
themselves to be a peaceful community and Islam does not teach
terrorism," the minister said.