The face of Islam

Looking at stories about Islam in Indonesia (and just for the sake of argument, let's take CNN's coverage as an example), the outside world could be forgiven for thinking that the long-held image of tolerant, peace-loving and moderate Muslims in Indonesia no longer reflected reality, following the Sept. 11 attacks on America.

In the wake of those attacks, local groups operating under the banner of Islam threatened to harm or evict Americans and other Westerners. There were daily protests outside the American embassy in Jakarta, with some participants carrying posters of Osama bin Laden and banners supporting his al Qaida group and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. There were reports (unsubstantiated) of young Indonesians joining the Taliban to fight against the United States.

Added to this were news reports of bloody fighting between Muslims and Christians in Maluku, North Maluku and the Central Sulawesi regency of Poso, as well as a series of church bombings in various cities, including Jakarta, this past year.

The face of Islam in Indonesia, going by the major news stories coming out of this country, is complete: radical and intolerant.

Is this a fair portrayal of Islam in Indonesia? Hardly.

While these news reports were mostly accurate, they often omitted one small but crucial detail: The incidents involved groups that are in the minority. Putting aside our doubts about the Islamic credentials of some of these groups -- Islam preaches peace, not violence -- they are not part of the Islamic mainstream. Being in the minority, they could not claim to represent Indonesia. Yet it is their views, and often violent behavior, that prevail in the news.

Don't blame CNN or other news outlets. They are just the messengers. They are simply recording events as they happened. These small but radical groups have been able to steal the spotlight because they are very vocal, and are probably more attuned to the art of using sound-bites to get their message across.

The major mainstream Islamic groups like Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, in contrast, have hardly been in the news. On the few occasions when their leaders did speak out, they were often ignored because they were considered less "newsworthy".

Since they represent the majority of Muslims in Indonesia -- together, they count on the support of between 60 million and 70 million people -- it is their views that should really prevail. They, more than any other group, have a larger claim to represent Islam in Indonesia.

It was heartening therefore to see the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, as the two largest Muslim social organizations in Indonesia, coming out on Wednesday to work together to rectify the world's misperceptions about Islam in this country.

Some of their leaders have spoken out publicly these last three months, denouncing the language of violence that the small groups have used. But with a more concerted effort, the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah can go a long way in restoring the image of Islam in Indonesia as a peaceful and tolerant faith. This is necessary not only to pacify the outside world, but more importantly, to pacify non-Muslims in this country.

The international and local media can help in conveying a less distorted picture of Islam in Indonesia. Ultimately, however, it is these leaders who must shoulder the biggest responsibility in portraying the real face of Islam here.

It would help if the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, given their long history of rivalry, were first to bury the hatchet in order to be able to work together for the common good. And it would also help if their leaders were to explain the presence of a senior Army officer at their media announcement, because it has sparked much unnecessary speculation about their motives.