Religious leaders call for peace

Religious leaders call for peace

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara: Religious leaders have called for
political party leaders to preach for peace during the campaign
season.

On Thursday, they appealed to politicians not to exploit
religious sentiments for political purposes so that a there would
not be a recurrence of the sectarian conflict that flared in East
Nusa Tenggara in November.

Kupang Bishop Petrus Turang said promoting peace was the
responsibility of every citizen.

I Nyoman Kusumanata, chairman of the East Nusa Tenggara Hindu
Council, said last November's sectarian clashes had undermined
the peaceful coexistence of those of different faiths.

Separately, the local chief of the Indonesian Ulemas Council,
Haji Omar Said Badjideh, warned that election campaigns would
trigger disintegration if religion was exploited for political
gains.

"There is no point in making an issue out of differences in
religions," he told journalists. (yac)