Three-party meeting to discuss decree on Ahmadiyah

The Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, attorney general Basrief Arief and National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo are scheduled to hold a meeting to discuss a joint ministerial decree issued to ban followers of Ahmadiyah from spreading its teachings on Wednesday, Feb.9.

“There will be a meeting today,” Basrief said Wednesday.

Although the topic of the meeting had not been settled, he said, there was a possibility the decree would be discussed.

The joint ministerial decree between the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Home Ministry and the Attorney General's Office (AGO) was issued in 2008, banning Ahmadiyah from disseminating its teachings, because of theological differences between it and mainstream Islam.

Deputy attorney general Darmono said the weakness of the decree lied in its implementation. However, he did not comment on whether the decree would be changed.

“This is an assumption. We must wait for the result in the meeting itself, later,” he said, as quoted by kompas.com.