Show Islam peace-loving: Mega

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Adianto Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri urged Muslim leaders to show the peaceful, moderate side of Islam in a bid to end the perception that Islam and violence are one and the same.

In her speech marking the opening of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars here on Monday, Megawati emphasized the need for Muslims to work together to fend off the stigma and formulate a movement to bring the peaceful nature of Islam into reality.

The perception of violence in Islam should no longer be prolonged as Indonesians need to show that it is peaceful, she said. She added that the challenge for the Muslim scholars is to prove that it was a fallacy to believe that different religions could not co-exist.

"Islamic scholars need to formulate and develop socio- religious conceptions that are more open and tolerant," the President added.

The country's largest Muslim-based organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is organizing the conference to promote moderate Islam in the wake of the war against terrorism.

After the devastating Sept. 11, 2001 attack, perpetrated by the militant Islamic group al-Qaeda, and ensuing acts of terror across the world attributed to hardline Muslims, Islam has been stigmatized.

Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country in the world, fell victim to terror attacks at the hands of homegrown zealots in the Bali blasts in October 2002 and the JW Marriot Hotel bombing in Jakarta in August 2003.

The President emphasized that any act of violence, regardless of one's conviction that they could be justified by religious beliefs, would not be tolerated.

She boasted that Indonesia had shown unquestionable vigilance to eliminate acts of terror.

"This nation repudiates and legally prosecutes those perpetrating violence against others, despite (the perpetrators defense that they were justified by jihad)," the President said.

NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi said the conference was aimed at reinstating Islam as a way of life and not part of global conflicts.

He added that Muslims should empower themselves, so there could be no more reason to justify any moves to oppress Islam for the sake of peace.

"Once we can show the world what true Muslims are, then there will be no more justification for those who attack us because of a religion or hatred," Hasyim said.

He went on to state that the conference should provide the world with an understanding that Islam was a blessing for the universe, and promised that Indonesian Muslim leaders would work with leaders from other countries to promote a common perception of moderate Islam.

"We hope the conference can improve the image of Islam and contribute to world peace," Hasyim reiterated.

The conference hosed around 300 delegates from over 40 countries for the three-day meeting, and they will deal with several issues, including education and the mass media.

At the end of the conference they are expected to issue a declaration of peace and a series of action plans to promote and empower moderate Muslims.

In another part of her speech, Megawati reiterated Indonesia's stance against injustices that Muslims are facing when dealing with developed countries.

The United States' occupation of Iraq and the ban against Muslim headscarves in France are two examples of unjust treatment of Muslims, Megawati claimed.

"Whether they realize it or not, those discriminative acts are test cases on whether those big countries are serious in practicing the human rights that they have preached to the whole world," Megawati asserted.

Interview -- Page 2