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em>July 25, p5

Despite a peace agreement after an incident in Tolikara, Papua, thousands of Muslims from various groups in Surakarta, Central Java, staged a rally on Friday to protest the violence.

Under tight police security, the protesters from Koran Interpretation Council (MTA), Islamic People'€™s Soldiers, Muslim Students Action Front, Surakarta Sharia Council, Muhammadiyah and the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), marched the 3 kilometers from Jl. Slamet Riyadi to the Gladag circle.

The march was followed by speeches from various leaders including Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) Surakarta chapter head Zainal Arifin Adnan, Ngruki Islamic boarding school director Wahyuddin and politician Mudrick Sangidoe.

Your comments:

When there is a riot at a mosque, the whole of Indonesia comes together to condemn the violence, yet nothing is done to prevent the growing religious intolerance of other groups such as the Ahmadiyah, Shia and the Christian faiths.

Matty H

They should also be protesting the unfair treatment of non-Muslim Indonesians next to their hometown, Yogyakarta.

A students'€™ camping trip was cancelled, a church was forced to close down and other intolerant acts have been committed toward religious minorities.

Where are these same public figures voicing their condemnation of discrimination toward Christians? Why don´t they also stand up for those minority groups who are facing increased intolerance from the majority?

Simba

Unhealthy religious beliefs have caused suffering for many people. It'€™s self-destruction. The Indonesian national education system has failed and the result is intolerant
behavior.

Why? A fanatical, naive faith is always occupied by its mono-disciplinary approach instead of a multi-disciplinary approach, sectarianism instead of secularism and enforcing a mono-religious culture stead of multi-religious culture.

Yono Uca

Usually it'€™s more the Muslims here in Indonesia being more ignorant and less tolerant towards other religions.

But in this case I would say that what GIDI (Evangelical Church of Indonesia) did was selfishly intolerant and also needlessly provoking.

They demanded that the Muslims not perform their Idul Fitri prayers because they were scheduled to have a conference on the same day. 17 July was celebrated all over the world to mark the end of the Ramadan. It is an annual ceremony.

It would have been easier to postpone the conference instead of GIDI asking the Muslims to change their location or day for the prayers.

Another point that makes it look more like thoughtless provocation is that the Idul Fitri prayers are held at 7:30 a.m. I don'€™t know any conference which starts at that time.

Bota

I think the government has to take more action. It doesn'€™t mean anything if we just talk about. Action is more important.

Catching the perpetrators is important, but how to keep religious tolerance is the most important thing. I hope that all religious people can be free to carry out worship.

Marco

The Muslims are getting a taste of their own medicine. When in power and in majorities, they discriminate against minority religious groups.

Now they see how it feels to be in the position of a minority and face discrimination.

Pedro Gonzales