Religious leaders vow greater role in ending conflict

Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

Leaders of various religions agreed on Thursday to play more active roles in guiding their followers to prevent the possibility of further sectarian conflicts in the country.

"(We will) play an active role in educating the people with humanitarian values according to religious teachings to prevent conflicts from recurring in the future," the religious leaders said a joint statement that summed up their two-day meeting here.

The religious leaders vowed to set a good example for their respective followers and make serious efforts to help address the nation's complicated problems so as to bring a complete end to the sectarian conflicts in eastern parts of Indonesia, namely Maluku and Poso in Central Sulawesi.

These social, political and economic problems also became the "sources of never-ending suffering" for the people as a whole, said the statement read out by the meeting's steering committee chairman, Harifuddin Cawidu.

Some 6,000 people were killed in three years of clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Maluku islands between 1999 and 2002. At about the same period sectarian conflict broke out in Poso, killing some 2,000 people.

Peace deals were signed between warring factions a year ago to halt the killings in both Poso and Maluku. The agreements have significantly reduced attacks but sporadic violence still erupted occasionally.

The participants called for joint efforts to eradicate poverty, illiteracy, drug abuse, gambling and other community "diseases" for the good of nation in the future.

"The policy of educating the people should concentrate on empowering and enlightening them by taking into account the local culture and social condition," the statement said.

Citing various global issues, the participants recommended that Indonesian religious leaders and organizations strengthen cooperation with their international and regional counterparts.

The statement did not elaborate further. It was apparently referring to the global campaign against terrorism following the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali bombings and the attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

The leaders further said they would be more serious in implementing "religious missions", in particularly peace for all people, so conflicts could be curbed.

This should also be achieved by applying the religious morality and ethics, as well as universal values including trust, justice, honesty, openness and love, in socio-political and economic life, they added.

Harifuddin Cawidu said the "Moral Messages" issued after the meeting would be presented to President Megawati Soekarnoputri through the South Sulawesi governor.

He asked the government to respond to the outcome of the two- day meeting by "facilitating" these recommendations to be enforced among all community members.

"We hope the government will be able to promote equality with religious leaders and organizations. The government should not allow them to continue becoming its subordinates," Harifuddin said.

He said the religious leaders would further elaborate on the recommendations so that their respective followers could implement them.

The meeting was participated in by 400 figures from Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism with many participants expressing satisfaction with the results of the talks.

However, they voiced disappointment over Megawati's decision to cancel her plan to open the meeting on Wednesday for security concerns amid anti-government protests across the country.