Religious leaders to help settle sectarian clashes

Religious leaders to help settle sectarian clashes

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A group of prominent religious leaders agreed on Thursday to
work together in settling sectarian conflicts in several areas of
the country, saying that a security approach might not solve the
root of the problems.

Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting at Muhammadiyah
headquarters in Central Jakarta, the religious leaders also
agreed that peace among various religious believers in the
country would only take place if people no longer put their own
interests above all else.

"Today's meeting is to follow up on our earlier meeting at the
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) headquarters, which concluded that we, as
religious leaders, must model proper morality for people.

"But it must be underlined that we are not in the capacity to
take over the government's or the security authorities' role, to
restore peace in the regions," chairman of the Muhammadiyah
Syafii Ma'arif said.

Also present at the meeting were Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of
the largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Julius
Cardinal Darmaatmadja, chairman of the Bishop Council of
Indonesia (KWI), nationalist figure Roeslan Abdul Gani and also
Muslim cleric Nurcholish Madjid.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla was
also present at the meeting in an effort to communicate the real
situation in several regions hit by sectarian conflict such as
Poso in Central Sulawesi and Maluku.

The meeting also decided that all elements of the country's
religious groups had to be proactive in promoting peace among
people by conducting direct visits to the two warring groups,
especially in Poso and Maluku.

"We realize that local religious figures may have failed to
calm their followers as these prolonged conflicts have also
affected their point of view. That is why direct visits from us
are a must," Hasyim said.

He, nevertheless, said he still had no idea as to when the
visit to Poso and Maluku would be held, reminding all that "the
government would fully support them by providing accommodation
and transport as well as security."

The two regions have for years been hit by sectarian conflicts
which have claimed more than 8,000 lives.

Kalla, along with Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has taken the
initiative to sponsor two peace accords known as the Malino I
agreement for Poso and the Malino II agreement for Maluku.

The agreements were signed at a resort in Malino, South
Sulawesi, between the representatives of Muslims and Christians
both from Poso and Maluku.

During Thursday's meeting, the participants also discussed the
possibility of finding a "Malino type" solution for Aceh.