Wahid book on Islamic state under threat

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 05/25/2009 2:38 PM  |  National

Wahid Institute, an NGO fighting for the enhancement of the country's pluralism, has said some Islamic radical groups have threatened bookstores not to sell a book it had co-published.

Illusion of an Islamic State was launched last week in Jakarta. It was edited by former president Abdurrahman Wahid, and published by Gerakan Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and Maarif Institute along with the Wahid Institute.

"The bookstores reported they have received phone calls threatening to burn the stores if they sell the book," said Ahmad Suaedy, executive director of the Wahid Institute.

"The distributor who has agreed to distribute our book apologized and said they would not take the book anymore."

Suaedy said they should not be afraid of any threats.

"What is really dangerous is that the threat is not coming from the government but from unidentified members of society.

"We welcome anybody who objects to the book. But they must respond in the form of a book also."

The 324-page book is subtitled Expansion of Transnational Islamic Movement in Indonesia. It contains chapters on the infiltration of Wahabi-Ikhwanul Muslimin ideology and the ideology and agenda of the hardliners movement in Indonesia, among others.

One of the book's appendices is a letter from Muhammadiyah - the country's second largest Islamic group - that asked its followers to maintain the solidity of all institutions under the group, and beware of the infiltration of other groups.

Purnama, who was eager to find the book, said after his friends told him they could not find the book in bookstores last Monday, he went directly to the bookstore at the Wahid Institute and bought eight books.

The book cannot be found in the main bookstores in Jakarta, including in Gramedia bookstores.

Bambang Muryono, human resource and public relations manager of Gramedia Publishing, however, said their company had not received any threats about stopping the sales of the Wahid Institute's book.

"We only heard that there were threats from several journalists. We have never received reports of threat from any division.

"All I know about this Islamic State Illusion book is that it hasn't arrived at the bookstores yet."

Bambang said if Gramedia cancelled selling a book in its bookstores then it would be for strong reasons.

"There are some considerations when we decide to sell a book or not. It could relate to the content."

He said the sale of many books' had been prevented before they even arrived at the stores. (iwp)

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