Religious forum to be held in East Timor
JAKARTA (JP): A forum will be established later this month for discussion and consultation between religious groups in the province of East Timor, which has recently been rocked by civil unrest.
The forum is to be inaugurated on Oct. 24. It will consist of leaders of the five religions recognized in Indonesia: Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. It is expected to focus on issues of concern emerging in the predominantly Roman Catholic province.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher said yesterday that the forum will also "alert the people if rumors are being spread by the GPK -- the security-disturbing movement".
Following rioting and clashes between Catholic and Moslem groups in East Timor early last month, various parties, including the House of Representatives, called on the government to establish a such a forum.
About 100 ulemas and Moslem leaders from Jakarta and West Java have invited East Timor Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo to talks to help reduce tension and introduce greater understanding in the province.
Tarmizi welcomed the invitation, saying it is now time for all parties, including the Roman Catholic leader, to learn from the recent unrest.
"I see the wish of the ulemas to hold talks with Bishop Belo as one which comes out of a democratic community. This is a democratic society -- if one party wishes to speak, the other should listen," Tarmizi said.
"The disturbance in the relationship between religious groups in East Timor should serve as a lesson for everyone.
"I think Belo himself has drawn a lesson," said Tarmizi, who was speaking to the press after a meeting with President Soeharto.
"It is to be hoped that the lessons can be used to solidify the peaceful co-existence among religious groups in East Timor," he added, warning that it is the religious groups themselves who will suffer if they do not act to maintain harmony among different groups.
Actions
The ulemas, while attending the House of Representatives last week, suggested a number of actions that might be taken, including a meeting of Bishop Belo, ulemas, the National Commission on Human Rights, the Armed Forces and the government.
Last month, the cities of Dili and Maliana saw youths on the rampage. Migrants were harassed and their houses attacked, mosques and Protestant churches were vandalized, vehicles were set alight and market places were burned down.
The authorities have since arrested more than a dozen people in connection with the riots and detained a Maliana prison official said to have insulted the Roman Catholic religion while addressing prison inmates, thus sparking the riots.
Tarmizi said that religion had often been exploited for political ends in the course of Indonesian history. Talks among religious groups would, he said, help to improve understanding and strengthen co-existence.
"That's why we should be aware (of the possible exploitation of religious issues) whenever a security disturbance occurs," he said. "Religious issues are ones which can easily be misused by the GPK groups."
Religions were once used by the now-banned Indonesian Communist Party for political agitation, he added.
Tarmizi also told the press that, as of yesterday, there are 40,720 people on the waiting-list for next year's haj pilgrimage. Of that number, some 6,000 prospective pilgrims have yet to confirm whether they will be making the trip, he said.
Tarmizi quoted President Soeharto as saying that, should any of the prospective pilgrims cancel, their places should promptly be given to Moslems from remote areas. (swe)