Why Laskar Jihad exists

Reading the article by Lee Kim Chew in The Jakarta Post on May 14, titled Militant Islam poses test for Mega, I would like to clarify as follows:

Clearly the article is very biased and the writer does not understand the background of the foundation of the Laskar Jihad. He should bear in mind that the founding of Laskar Jihad was based on the inability of the government to protect the Muslim community from acts of violence in Maluku. Ironically, those Muslims who joined Laskar Jihad were branded terrorists.

Ayip Sapprudin of the Laskar Jihad has stated that the group would be very happy to leave Maluku if the government could provide protection to the Muslims there and uphold the law. Besides, the government should also punish the perpetrators of violence involving the killing of Muslims.

I would also like to comment on the letter by Soegih Arto (The Jakarta Post, May 14, Hamzah's visit to Ja'far not wise). He claimed that Ja'far did not condemn the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). He was wrong. On many occasions Ja'far has expressed his opposition to any act of separatism. When Ja'far held a rally in Aceh, he and his followers were threatened with death if he insisted on holding the rally.

True, Hamzah Haz should not have visited Ja'far in jail. But it is not relevant to compare Ja'far with Akbar Tanjung. In my opinion, Ja'far was wrongly accused of being involved in acts of terrorism and was arrested solely because the U.S. wanted him arrested. Whereas Akbar was accused of embezzling Rp 40 billion of the people's money. But Hamzah could have ordered the police to investigate Akbar and bring the case to court.

M. ADJID

Tangerang, Banten