Religious chiefs to visit Ambon to promote peace, boost morale
Despite security problems including Wednesday's violence in Ambon, religious leaders still plan to visit the provincial capital, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic organization (NU) Hasyim Muzadi told The Jakarta Post contributor Dwi Iswandono. The following is an excerpt of the interview:
Question: What are the religious leaders' basic ideas regarding Maluku?
Answer: NU thought the nation's biggest problem was morality, the system and the rebuilding of the country's pillars, followed by the behavior of leaders and bureaucrats.
To promote our nation's plurality we need to combine a number of factors; how to achieve Islamic brotherhood; how Islam can contribute in inter-faith ties within nationhood. So on Jan. 2 I met with Muhammadiyah chairman Syafei Ma'arif (which led to a joint declaration among others on respect for plurality).
This moral movement has spread to include Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, Chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Y. Rewangu, the scholar, Nurcholish Madjid, the nationalist, Ruslan Abdulgani, and the Hindu spiritual leader, ibu Gedhong (Nyoman Gedhong Bagus Oka).
We aim to arrest the nation's disintegration. Now we have to work at the concrete level. We don't have money, only sincerity. God willing, we plan to go to Ambon in mid April and then to Poso (Central Sulawesi). On their own, local religious leaders are not strong enough to resist the potentially devastating level of provocation of those who want to see the conflict continued.
Q: What do you want to do in the conflict areas?
A: To give weight to the peace agreements of Malino I and II (signed in the South Sulawesi town of Malino on the Poso and Maluku conflicts). We'll spread the word that the war must end, regardless of who's right and who's the victor. The presence of national figures is important because local religious leaders have inevitably got embroiled in the conflict.
We'll also draw up an agenda regarding refugees in Pontianak, Palangkaraya, Sampit (all in Kalimantan), also in Manado (North Sulawesi) and give them moral support. With luck we may be able to knock on doors for more support.
Q: What do you think caused Wednesday's incident?
A: Clearly it was because the government was not firm. All points of the agreement should have been immediately backed up with adequate security forces. Second, there are parties that want to continue the conflict. Yet we're happy to see that people were not incited into further action; we have proof that there is now a distance between the people and rioters. We'll also be able to give the government moral support to be firm.
But we should still strive for peace even if its chances are as small as a needle hole. We'll make it, with unity.
Q: What is the shortcoming of the Malino agreement on Maluku?
A: It is only one step to peace. If it falls apart must we go to war again? Not only Ambon but East Indonesia could break away.
Q: So what's the first thing that should be done in Ambon?
A: The government must immediately clamp down on centers of unrest. All initiatives of peace must be brought together.
Q: What was the result of Thursday's meeting between religious leaders and Minister of Religious Affairs Said Aqil Munawar?
A: Israel does not want a Palestinian state ... they have used organized state terror and we must react effectively or Muslims and Christians here could be dragged into the conflict.
So we said the reaction should be through international pressure against the U.S. and Israel, encourage the unity of Arab countries and ensure protection of the Palestinians.
There has been no effect on Ambon yet. We're just worried there could be action like people burning churches, though Christians have also been victims of Israel. People here often have such misunderstandings.