Shocking survey results

Almost one in six Indonesian Muslims support the mass murder of their guests and other innocent people, among them women and children. And only a little more than half of Indonesian Muslims disagree with such cruelty.

These were the truly shocking results of a survey conducted by various Muslim organizations. (Intolerance is still high, The Jakarta Post, Nov. 12.)

Only 59 percent of Indonesian Muslims "disagree with the (Bali and Marriott hotel bombings)" and 16 percent "support" the killing of innocent people in the name of Islam. The survey was based on 1,200 interviews in 32 provinces with a 3 percent margin of error.

This will not help attract tourists and investors. And it also does little to enhance the perception of Indonesian Muslims as being comparatively tolerant. Or promote Islam as a religion of peace.

THOMAS BUHLER, Denpasar