Solidarity called for to cope with crisis

JAKARTA (JP): Religious leaders and intellectuals have called for solidarity to help the nation cope with the crisis that has plagued the country in the past few months.

The group made the call in a rare gathering Tuesday evening. They included Abdurrahman Wahid of Nahdlatul Ulama, who hosted the meeting at his home in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, and Jakarta's Archbishop Julius Cardinal Darmaatmadja.

Also attending were human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman, Todung Mulya Lubis, Asmara Nababan, philosopher and Catholic priest Franz Magnis-Suseno, scholars Harry Tjan Silalahi, Moeslim Abdurrahman and Ignas Kleden, senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad and ulema-cum-poet Mustofa Bisri.

In a statement titled "Ciganjur Appeal", the group said showing solidarity did not simply mean helping the needy, but also required a "willingness from those who have the economic or political power to sacrifice".

"The willingness to sacrifice means doing something that puts people's interest above the interests of oneself, one's family or one's group," they said.

The gathering was held to honor Christmas and to welcome the Moslem fasting month of Ramadhan that starts next Wednesday. The guests were served the traditional tumpengan, yellow rice dish in a cone shape.

Respected intellectuals Amien Rais, who is also the chairman of the 28 million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem organization, and Nurcholish Madjid were reportedly invited but could not make it to the gathering.

According to Moeslim, Amien was in Singapore for a discussion the next day, while Nurcholish was in Bogor attending the meeting of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals.

Chairman of the Protestant Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Soelarso Sopater also could not attend, but was represented by his deputy.

Dozens of journalists also attended the function held in a tent erected in the backyard of Abdurrahman's house.

In their appeal, religious leaders and intellectuals called for a stop to "corruption and nepotism" and for the upholding of the law and the establishment of a clean government.

"To judges, please don't trade your verdicts. Intellectuals, don't prostitute your minds. To all, uphold an inspiring leadership that enables society to live a just and civilized life," the statement said.

Harmony

In his brief address during the function, Abdurrahman said everybody should be able to develop within themselves "an inner space" so as to be open-hearted in accepting differences, including faith.

"It takes courage for us all to brave a world trying to disintegrate our togetherness. Only by being open-hearted can we retain the peace that we need to take us all to a more dignified living," he said.

Abdurrahman also expressed his hope that harmony between religious leaders, as portrayed Tuesday, could send a clear message to followers so that they could do the same.

"We must keep cultivating unity as a human race," he said.

Speaking after Abdurrahman, Archbishop Darmatmadja prayed that God keep the nation away from the "the brim of disintegration".

"May God unite us all to repent, may God bless our development, strengthen our brotherhood and strengthen our national unity," said the country's Catholic leader.

Moslems make up 87 percent of Indonesia's population of 200 million people, while Protestants and Catholics make up about 5 percent of the population. The country has for the past two years been rocked by a series of violent incidents that has pitted one religious group against another, one political group against others. (aan)