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strong>April 21, p1

More than 1,000 people attended an anti-Shia declaration on Sunday at the Al Fajr mosque in the West Java capital of Bandung, in what appeared to be the first organized attempt to persecute Shiites in Indonesia.

Supported by a dozen high-profile clerics, the Anti-Shia National Alliance called on the public to fight what they said to be the proliferation of Shia influence, which they deemed a '€œheresy'€ in Sunni-majority Indonesia.

The alliance, formed to spearhead Shia persecution nationwide, also called on the public not to support presidential hopeful and Jakarta Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo as his party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), had promoted a top Shia figure to become a legislative candidate.

Your comments:

The request to ban a certain parts of the community, Shia, Ahmadiyah or others, shows how insecure those making such requests are.

They sincerely believe in their own inability to convince their followers that their own way of teaching is correct. Otherwise why ask for a ban?

Rafiq

Shia is Islam so why do these Muslims not allow the Shia practices in Indonesia?

Those Sunni Muslims condemn everything. Why can'€™t we be free in searching for our spiritual comfort whether it be Shia, Sunni or any other religion?

Yamin Ode Mukmin

They should be prosecuted for spreading hatred.

Azwar Bareta

I guess the concepts of unity in diversity, religious tolerance and Islam as a religion of peace have been thrown out the window.  

It'€™s curious that the police allowed this gathering.  It seems the police as usual are completely useless to protect the rights of everyone.

Deddy K

Come on Mr. President! You are still in the job! You took the award, so now show you deserved it!

Balistars

I do not like the growing trend of getting bent out of shape when others don'€™t believe in exactly the same religion as us. It'€™s a form of fascism.

Mr. President, do you believe in unity in diversity or not? Please be clear. Is Pancasila still alive?

The enemies of Pancasila are testing the boundaries. How far do they have to go before someone is brave enough to defy them?

Clearly, so far no one is brave enough, and the enemies have not reached that boundary yet. So they will keep pushing.

Someone needs to stand up to this dangerous nonsense before it is too late. The lack of any national leadership that has the integrity and courage to defend the constitution is truly disturbing for the future of Indonesia and the people.

Deedee S

It is wrong to incite hatred and such speech is wrong and the police must act. It doesn'€™t matter what religion is affected but if hate speech is made to incite racial and religious disharmony, a crime has been committed. Police, this is a clear-cut case so act!

Malam

Shia is one religious group that permits its members to do mut'€™ah (contract marriage). It means that a man can marry a girl with the intention to divorce her.

Under the consent of both parties, they can just end the marriage and find another person to do it again.

Basically, Shia has a secret political agenda to turn any Sunni majority country into a Shia one. If they succeed we might have the new Iran in Southeast Asia.

N Moore

To which specialists do the police turn for advice if they see someone driving through a red traffic light to make sure a violation of the law is committed?

Police, stop behaving like 16-year-old schoolgirls and enforce the law. This case is as clear cut as a traffic violation.

Well, this is the occasion for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to speak out and leave a '€œlegacy'€. And take firm action.

If he does not all his former declarations about religious freedom are just empty words.

Duncan