A number of radical Muslim organizations in South Sumatra have said theyare willing to uphold a governor's decree banning the Ahmadiyahsect at all costs, as reported by Tempo Interaktif.com.
"This decree is beneficial for Muslims in preserving and savingthe tenets of faith from the insults of the Indonesian JemaahAhmadiyah (JAI), which disdains the purity of the Islamic faith,"chairman of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) for South Sumatra,Sodikun, told a media briefing Saturday.
He said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should not annul orcancel the decree, which was introduced by acting GovernorMahyuddin last Monday, as it would damage the local community'strust in the government.
Sodikun is also calling for the president to issue a decreeofficially banning and dissolving the Ahmadiyah sect in itsentirety for propagating a false interpretation of Islam.
"We also advise the ulema (religious scholars) and habaib(descendents of Prophet Muhammad) across Indonesia to pressuretheir governors and regents to issue similar decrees, if thepresident fails to issue a decree banning Ahmadiyah," he said.
Apart from the MUI South Sumatra chapter, several organizationshave voiced similar concerns, including the Hizbut TahrirIndonesia, Islam Defenders Front and the Indonesian MujahidinCouncil.
There are at least 600 Ahmadiyah followers in the province,including 200 members in Palembang, with nine Ahmadiyah mosquesspread across Palembang, Burnai Burlian, Pematang Panggung,Sungai Bungi, Lahat, Lubuk Linggau, Ogan Komering Ilir andBanyuasin.
Most Ahmadiyah followers in South Sumatra are of Javanesedescent, originally relocated to the area through a government-sanctioned transmigration program.
MUI has said Ahmadiyah's claim that Ghulam Ahmad is a prophetdefies one of the basic doctrines of Islam -- that Muhammad isthe last prophet and final prophet.
On June 9, the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Home Ministry andthe Attorney General's Office issued a decree prohibitingAhmadiyah members from prosleytizing.
The decree came the same day thousands of hard-liners gathered infront of the State Palace in Jakarta to demand the dissolution ofthe sect. (amr)
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