Thousands to join Muslim conference in Maluku

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Thousands of Muslims were scheduled to gather in the compound of Al-Fatah Grand Mosque here to take part in a three-day conference starting Monday, the event's organizer said on Sunday.

Chairman of the Maluku Muslim conference Lutfi Sanaki said the conference would mainly discuss how to unite the Muslim people's vision in connection with the current communal conflict in Maluku.

"We insist on holding the conference despite protests from many groups asking for the event to be postponed. This gathering is urgent to unite the vision and mission of Muslims in response to the current conflict here," Lutfi told The Jakarta Post.

More than 2,000 people from across and outside the islands were invited to the event, he added.

Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid, former chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) Adi Sasono, rector of the Jakarta-based Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic Teaching Institute Azyumardi Ahzra, former Maluku military commander Lt. Gen. Suaidi Marasabessy and another former top military officer who served in the province, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Rustam Kastor, are scheduled to speak in the gathering.

Many have expressed apprehension and concern that the event would worsen the already shaky ceasefire in the Maluku capital of Ambon, which has been unsettled by a prolonged clash between Muslims and Christians.

Chairman of Maluku's Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Abbas Samed met the Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina on Friday to ask the latter to ban the planned gathering, saying certain groups could exploit the conference to create chaos and this in turn would tarnish Islamic teachings. (49)