Religious leaders want police to respect human rights
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.