Religious leaders urged to promote peaceful coexistence
Religious leaders urged to promote peaceful coexistence
SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): Minister of Defense and Security
Edi Sudradjat called on religious leaders yesterday to boost
peaceful coexistence among followers of different religions in
Indonesia.
Addressing the 7th Parisada Hindu Dharma congress, Edi
reminded religious leaders that the relatively peaceful
coexistence must not be taken for granted.
Edi said that all religious believers must appreciate that
peaceful coexistence is vital to maintaining the multiethnic and
multireligious Indonesia intact.
"It's not difficult to find examples of how a religious
conflict has shattered a nation," he said. "In other countries,
armed religious conflicts have caused widespread destruction and
death."
Religious harmony has been trumpeted during the four-day
congress by a number of government officials, including President
Soeharto when he opened the meeting Wednesday.
Religious issues are among the most sensitive in Indonesia,
which has five "official" religions: Hinduism, Islam,
Protestantism, Catholicism and Buddhism. Islam is predominant,
claiming an estimated 90 percent of the country's 200 million
people as followers. Hinduism is predominant on the tourist
island of Bali.
Occasional religious conflicts are not usually reported in an
explicit manner by the domestic mass media.
Edi warned that in the present day, when the world has shrunk
into a global village and materialism is rampant, the possibility
of religious conflicts developing is great.
"That is why peaceful religious coexistence is becoming an
important issue in Indonesia," Edi said.
The minister recalled a time when religion was used by certain
groups to achieve their political agendas, such as to obtain mass
support.
"Politicizing religion can spark religious conflict," he said.
"Religious leaders should be wary of efforts to stir religious
conflict for any purposes."
About 1,000 Hindu leaders are participating in the congress
that will be closed by Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi
Taher today.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Association of Hindu Youths Shally
Purwanto, said that about 80 Hindu youth leaders from the seven-
member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are to meet
in Bali from Nov. 14 through Nov. 16 to discuss cooperation.
They will exchange views on economic, social and cultural
issues.
The forum for dialog among Hindus in ASEAN member countries
was formed at Prambanan Temple in 1993.
Purwanto said that at the November gathering, the Hindu youths
will visit several sacred places on Bali. (har/rms/pan)