Moslem ulemas allow strikes, demonstrations for 'justice'
Moslem ulemas allow strikes, demonstrations for 'justice'
SURABAYA (JP): Around 100 influential ulemas gathered for a
two-day workshop and concluded yesterday with an endorsement for
strikes and demonstrations "as long as they are held in search of
justice."
The leading members of the local branch of Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU), which is Indonesia's largest Moslem organization, said that
Islam considered justice and the search for it a very important
matter.
"The search for justice is a fundamental matter," said K.H.
Mashuri Aziz, who led the bahsul matsail (studies on various
issues). The organization has some 30 million members, mostly in
rural areas.
In their final statement, the ulemas said strikes and
demonstrations could also serve as a means for both individuals
and the community to perform the amal ma'ruf nahyi munkar
(calling people to do good and help prevent infraction). The
targets of strikes and demonstrations should be clearly defined,
be they legal, economic or political justice.
"However, (the strikes and demonstrations) should not endanger
or harm others, much less end in destruction of public
facilities," the ulemas said.
As examples they mentioned various violent demonstrations that
ended in the burning of houses of worship, houses and/or office
buildings. They added that strikes and demonstrations, however,
should be considered a last resort after efforts to hold talks
failed.
"Demonstrations (in protest) of the government is justified as
long as it is limited to ta'rif (giving explanation) and wa'dzu
(recommendation or giving suggestions)," the ulemas said.
In their workshop, the ulemas also discussed and condemned the
various riots that marked the recent election campaign. "The
people who instigated the riots clearly committed sins," the
ulemas said, but failed to explain the gravity of those sins.
Mashuri, however, rejected Minister of Religious Affairs
Tarmizi Taher's recent statement in which he said it was
religiously permissible (halal) to shed the blood of rioters.
Tarmizi told a gathering of ulemas in Surabaya in June that
the rioters had acted like communists and that their blood may
therefore be spilled.
Meanwhile, chief of the Brawijaya Regional Military Command
Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman praised the ulemas for their attention
toward national affairs. "The result of your deliberation is
positive and should be disseminated as widely as possible," he
told the closing session of the workshop.
"Demonstrating is allowed as long as it is done in a normal
way and does not destroy the interests of the public," he said.
The discussion on strikes and demonstrations was among the 26
contemporary religious questions brought up in the workshop.
Other issues included crime, alms, haj pilgrimage and marital
laws.
Fuad Anwar, secretary of the local branch of NU, said the
conclusions of the routine workshop were usually adopted into the
national policy of the organization.
Fuad said discussions were "pure" and uncontaminated by
"external interests". (nur/swe)