Religious leaders want police to respect human rights

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The country's second largest Muslim organization has expressed concern with the security forces' fight against terrorism, including the Bali attack investigation, saying the process was confusing and ignored human rights.

Muhammadiyah also expressed fears the ongoing investigations would tarnish the image of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) across the country.

"We realize the government has become confused in its war on terrorism. But even in this confusing situation, the government must not violate human rights," Ahmad Sjafii Maarif, Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Sjafii Maarif said at a press conference in Jakarta Tuesday.

Sjafii said he was concerned Indonesian security forces had arrested terror suspect Omar al-Faruq and handed him to U.S. authorities.

Indonesian police later sent representatives to question al- Faruq, and, based on his account, named Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, chairman of the Indonesian Mujahiddin Council (MMI) and the Al Mukmin boarding school in Surakarta, Central Java, a terror suspect for his involvement in a string of bombings in Jakarta.

"We have never heard al-Faruq's account directly, while our police personnel who were sent to question al-Faruq in the U.S. reportedly never made contact with him. Isn't this situation confusing to our people?"

Police maintain they did question al-Faruq.

Indonesia faces international pressure to arrest several Muslim leaders, including Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, allegedly responsible for establishing Jamaah Islamiyah, a shadowy group with suspected links to al-Qaeda.

Sjafii also demanded the joint investigative team in Bali end confusion over the bomb materials used in the attack.

"The public has the right to know, even if the information leads to the involvement of certain foreign countries."

He refused to elaborate further.

Syafii, joined by leaders of other religions and faiths, issued a statement that supported the government's war on terrorism, but warned that it should not equate terrorism with Islam.

The statement was also signed by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi, Bishop's Council of Indonesia (KWI) chairman Julius Kardinal Darmaatmadja, Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) chairman AA Yewangoe, nationalist figure Roeslan Abdoelgani and Muslim scholar Nurcholis Madjid.

Also present at the press conference were reverend IP Lambe of PGI and catholic priest Ismartono of KWI.

"We demand all parties, including foreign countries, stop launching propaganda that equates terrorism with certain religions, especially Islam," Lambe said as he read the joint statement.

"The bombing attack in Legian, Kuta, proved that even our country has been attacked by terrorist groups."

Indonesia is home to the world's largest Muslim population.

Separately, the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), called on the public to support the police investigation.