MISNA - Missionary Service News Agency, 14/2/2003 0:20
Indonesia
Muslim Leader: Inter-religious Conflicts Often Used To Serve
Political And Economic Interests
Church/Religious Affairs, Brief
The so-called 'inter-religious conflicts' in Indonesia are in reality characterized by the
effort of certain groups and organisations to manipulate religion to further political and
economical interests. It was declared in the past few days by Hasyim Muzadi, leader
of the largest Indonesian Muslim organisation 'Nahdlatul Ulama' (NU).
"So far there is no religious conflict in Moluccas or in other regions in Indonesia. What
happened was a conflict of political and economic interests by involving people of
different religious faiths", he said in a dialogue with Moslems at the Canberra Islamic
Center (CIC). According to Hasyim, Indonesia is currently in the process of transition
to democracy, so that the emergence of various political and economic
interest-related problems are inevitable.
A myriad of aggravating problems will certainly bring about a negative impact on the
life of religious adherents which eventually resulted in the outbreak of social conflicts
in some regions of the country, he said. [BP]
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