Team sent to study religious violence

Team sent to study religious violence

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher
called on religious groups to exercise self restraint and make
greater efforts to live peacefully.

"Don't be provoked into any actions which may ruin the
religious tolerance that we have been building," he said
yesterday at a hearing of the House of Representatives'
Commission IX on religious affairs.

Tarmizi was commenting on recent religious conflict in the
East Java capital of Surabaya which damaged 10 churches. This is
the first official statement on the incident which occurred
earlier this month.

Tarmizi said his office has sent a special team to investigate
the reported assaults and church burning in the Kenjeran district
of Surabaya. The incidents were triggered by Moslem and Christian
conflict.

"Yes, there are ten churches damaged, nine of which were
seriously damaged," he confirmed. "We are still investigating the
case."

Tarmizi said he had not received reports on the assault, but
promised to take stern actions against those found guilty.

He asked the public await for a report from the ministry's
team rather than listen to rumors.

The Communion of Churches in Indonesia earlier this month
issued a statement on the incident, which expressed great
concern: "We call on the government to reveal the background and
motive behind the incident, so that our community can stay
united."

The communion also called on other religious groups to renew
efforts to preserve peaceful co-existence. "Let's keep on
building the spirit of dialog and cooperation," the statement,
signed by Reverend Weinata Sairin, said.

Chairman of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) Abdurrahman Wahid said the campaign for peaceful co-
existence needs not only tolerance but also "brotherhood".

"Tolerance breeds respect but not care. Brotherhood, on the
other hand, results in respect and care as well," he said at a
Surabaya seminar held by Petra Christian University.

He said such a stance is needed to develop peace within
diversity. "All human beings are brothers. Religions, races and
ethnic and social groups may differ but we all should be united
in the life of the nation," he said. (01)