Letters : Destroying Aceh’s churches

This is a comment on The Jakarta Post article titled “Regent orders churches closed, destroyed in Aceh” published on June 13, page 2.

Is this really happening in the Republic of Indonesia? Apart from being an act of gross religious intolerance, it appears to be a gross breach of the RI Constitution; not to mention Pancasila.

So why does the national government have its head buried in the sand, ignoring what is happening in Aceh?

On top of the adoption of a law on stoning to death someone found guilty of adultery, this latest example of inhumanity makes me ashamed to acknowledge that, yes, Aceh is part of Indonesia — and is very likely the direction in which the whole of RI is heading.

If Aceh is going to be allowed by SBY’s government to act outside of the Constitution and become an intolerant, extremist-driven province, Indonesia may be better off if Aceh was “amputated” from the Republic for the sake of preserving the rest of the country, together with its image of still being a tolerant and inclusive nation.

Nairdah Humbaba
Jakarta

Oh my God, how stupid is the Indonesian government to let Aceh province go back to the Dark Ages! Closing the Pakpak Dairi Church and discriminating against religious minorities, and so on.

Where is the peace and harmony here that we enjoyed before these radical groups were established? The central government should send their police to protect the minorities in Aceh before they start being hurt. Right now, the minorities are feeling hurt and sooner or later, they will strike out and many people will be killed and injured. This is not what we want anywhere in Indonesia, not only in Aceh.

It looks like the people in the central government are all talk and no action. Will lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari help evacuate those minorities from Aceh or do nothing but talk and feel pity toward them?

Ahmad Muslim
Jakarta