Indonesia's Muslims do not want Sharia
by Mathias Hariyadi
The leader of the nations' largest Muslim organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama,
attacks radical groups' for their campaign to Islamify the country. Controversy
sparked by the Islamic leader Bashir continues: "Without sharia, Indonesia will
fall into foreign hands". The concern of Catholics.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Another voice joins the chorus of Muslim academics,
political leaders and members of the minority communities which oppose the
project promoted by radical groups to introduce Islamic law to Indonesia. This
time it is Kia Haj Hasyim Muzadi, president of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the
biggest Muslim organisation in the country.
The leader, a well known activist for inter-religious dialogue, defined the
application of sharia as a "would be of course against Pancasila, [the state's
five basic principle carried in the Constitutions preamble]. He then promised
that the NU would remain faithful to the "values of our founding fathers and
the constitution".
In Indonesia controversy over Islamic law and the institution of a caliphate
came to fore following declarations made by the extremist leader, Abu Bakar
Bashir. At a conference promoted by the fundamentalist group Hizbut Tahrir
Indonesia, he said that "it is a grave error not to apply Islamic law". "The
Indonesian government - he continued - does not seem to understand much of
Islam". According to Bashir - considered by many to be the spiritual leader of
the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiya - "Indonesia will continue to be
manipulated by foreign powers until sharia is introduced". Bahir's declarations
were immediately condemned by the vice Jusuf Kalla and ministers among them
Minister for Internal Affairs, Mardiyanto, and Minister for Industries,
Suryadharma Ali.
Some Indonesian provinces have already adopted Islamic inspired laws, if only
for Muslims. But the tendency is on the rise and minorities are voicing their
concern. Fr. Benny Susetyo Pr, of the Indonesian Bishops Conference
commission for inter-religious dialogue, has asked for these norms to be
"cancelled" and has invited the government to "vigorously promote the 1945
Constitution and Pancasila".
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