On syariah

In your interview with the chairman of the Mujahidin Assembly, Irfan S. Awwas, which appeared in the Opinion page on Aug. 14, 2000, Irfan is quoted as saying, "Islam fully guarantees the freedom of all followers of other religions to practice what they believe in ... since secular people are always provoking us, there is always the fear among non-Muslims that they will be discriminated against if syariah is applied. In fact such a thing has never happened in the history of Islam. History shows that a Muslim majority has never oppressed non-Muslims."

Hoping that I am not provoking anyone, I would like to refute this statement. On a Sunday morning in late September 1984 in Khartoum, Sudan, I personally witnessed a Catholic priest dragged out of Sunday morning Mass, tied to a post along the street and whipped with long strands of leather which had lead balls tied into them until he was bloody and unconscious. He was condemned for violating syariah law by serving wine (i.e. alcohol) to his Catholic congregation for the Sacrament of the Holy Communion.

MARSHALL LESESNE

Jakarta