Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) –It is urgent to protect peace by protecting legality, transparency concerning government action, impartiality of the police, dialogue between religions: this is what is said by religious leaders and NGOs who have made several appeals and sent messages, which have been sent to Fides, the day after the new conflict broke out between Christians and Muslims in the Moluccas ( in eastern Indonesian archipelago),.
In Ambon a message calling for peace was launched today by the media, in churches, mosques and schools. It is signed, among others, by the President of the Synod of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas, John Ruhulesin; by the Bishop of the Diocese of Amboina, Mgr. Petrus Canisius Mandagi, MSC; by the President of the Indonesian Ulema Council in the Moluccas, Hie Toekanm; by the President of "Forum for inter-religious harmony", Idris Latuconsina.
Religious leaders call on people to "report incidents immediately" and the presence of foreign provocateurs. They invite, all the animators of the different communities to help "keep the situation under control" and not to spread misleading rumors, on the basis of Sunday’s incident (see Fides 12/9/2011).
In Jakarta an interfaith forum has asked the central government to "implement the agreement of Malino" (which put an end to the conflict in the Moluccas in 1999-2002), "the only way to create lasting peace in Ambon": In the forum there is also Fr . Benny Susetyo, Director of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Indonesian Bishops, and the former President of the Islamic Nahdlatul Ulama association (NU) Hasyim Musadi. The Forum also recalls the urgency that mass media follows an ethic of peace and usefulness of civil society, asking the military authority to act with impartiality and ensuring the contribution of religious leaders" to create a spirit of true fraternity".
A group of NGOs, research institutes, Churches, associations, gathered today in Jakarta and underlined the need that Moluccas "are not to be left alone", and called for transparency of government action. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/09/2011)
