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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono again called for religious tolerance in the country, a demand that will ring hollow among members of the Sampang Shia community who are now living in destitution following the government’s failure to protect their rights.

In his speech before thousands of Muslims gathered on Thursday to observe the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Yudhoyono said Muslims in the country must learn from the Prophet’s example in promoting tolerance.

“We have to learn from the Prophet, a leader of a very diverse society. He was able to maintain harmony and tolerance in a diverse society and kept people away from violence,” Yudhoyono said in his speech at the National Monument (Monas), organized by the Majelis Rasulullah congregation in Central Jakarta.

Several Cabinet members as well as US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot A. Marciel, joined the celebration.

However, Yudhoyono’s statement about keeping the minority away from violence was an insult to members of the Shia community from Sampang, Madura, who earlier on Wednesday met with a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on human rights, Albert Hasibuan.

Members of the community aired their grievances about being “abandoned” by the local administration in Sampang since they had sought refuge in a local sports stadium following a clash in August.

A spokesman for the group, Mujtahid Hashemy, an activist from the Universalia Legal Aid Foundation, said the Shia refugees were now in a dire situation following the decision by the local administration to cut off food and a clean water supply.

Members of the Shia community were forced to leave their village following an attack by majority Sunni Muslims in the area.

Universalia said currently there were at least 165 people who were taking shelter in the sports center, including 29 children.

The group also reported that, since Jan. 1, the East Java Police had withdrawn officers deployed to protect the displaced Shiites.

“Their condition continues to worsen. We really hope that the President will take immediate action,” Mujtahid said.

Some members of the Shia community are now also suffering from a range of health problems because of poor sanitation in the sports stadium where they have been sheltering since a mob burned down their homes in Karang Gayam village, last August.

Albert said he deeply regretted the situation and urged the government to take action.

“The government must mediate [the situation]. Local government, including the police, also has the responsibility to provide basic services and safety to all citizens,” he said.

Albert, said the government’s negligence toward the plight of the Shia could be “categorized as violation of human rights.”

“I will recommend to the President that this situation be dealt with. We need to focus on the humanity side of this problem rather than debating the faith differences, because the displaced people have suffered for about six months,” he said.

Amnesty International (AI) has called on the government to guarantee the safe return of the Shia in Sampang after it found the local government had decided to cut off food and medical supplies for the victims.

“The Indonesian authorities must help them rebuild the homes that were damaged or destroyed,” said Isabelle Arradon of AI’s Asia Pacific program, in a statement.