Yudhoyono asks Obama to stop planned Koran burning

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has sent a letter to US President Barack Obama to ask him to stop the plans by a small church in Florida, the United States, to burn the Koran, the Muslim holy book, to commemorate the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Heru Lelono, a presidential special adviser on information and public relations, said Thursday that Yudhoyono considered the plan a threat to world peace.

Yudhoyono said Indonesia would condemn the act.

The Dove World Outreach Center from Gainesville, Florida — led by Pastor Terry and Sylvia Jones — announced the controversial plan to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Despite mounting pressure to call off Saturday's bonfire, Jones said Wednesday (Thursday Jakarta time) he was not backing down.

Indonesian religious leaders and promoters of pluralism in the country have condemned the plan.

The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), the Parisada Hindu Council and the Indonesia Confucianism High Assembly (Matakin) were among the religious organizations grouped under the Movement for Pluralism that made a joint statement denouncing the plan as “a despicable, uncivilized [act that] must be condemned”.