Religious leaders vow greater role in ending conflict

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.