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)