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.