Another blow to pluralism

Sat, 06/07/2008 11:24 AM  |  Opinion

Some time ago I congratulated Indonesia on its handling of the Fitna fiasco. Alas, my words were spoken too soon. Sunday's attack by the FPI on the AKKBB is a deplorable stain on the track record of Indonesia's long road to true religious freedom and pluralism.

What a shame! Bearing in mind the United States' removal of Indonesia from its travel advisory list, could this new debacle have been more successfully timed by the FPI? Coincidence? Truly saddening. KELSEY LORENZO
Jakarta

Once again the frontline law enforcers (police) failed to protect innocent people from thugs. They reportedly ran away on a previous occasion when an extremist group went out for a "knees up". Now we know why the police wear brown trousers. Arrest the law breakers and discipline the law enforcers.
ED
Jakarta

The only good thing about being part of this short-tempered religious gang is they get a free lunch every time they carry out their actions. The rest is bad and will surely result in civilian clashes that no sane people want.

I am afraid the youth who join this gang are the ones who cannot compete during these difficult times, so they voluntarily jump in and express their anger to anyone they believe is against them. Giving them jobs is a solution to teaching them to respect the sanctity of life.
SUTOYO J SUSANTO
Jakarta

There are at least three reasons for the violence. First, SBY and Gen. Sutanto do have a strong grip on security matters like Soeharto once had. Second, the police force, including their commanding general, have no guts in facing the FPI. There are six past incidents to prove this. Finally, influential backers such as powerful businessmen and politicians may be behind the FPI.
J. SIAHAAN
Jakarta

It's obvious, isn't it? Large innocuous groups like Ahmadiyah are far more of a threat to civil society than large masses of idiots waving bamboo poles.
RIZQI
Jakarta

It is quite obvious the government has turned a blind eye to extremist attacks. After multiple atrocities committed by the FPI, it is clear the government has done nothing when they are perfectly capable of doing so. Is there religious prejudice at work in our country? Or are they just too ignorant to do anything?
SOEPARMAN
Tangerang, Banten

These attacks weren't prevented simply because of the ongoing conspiracies between parties in this country. It's obvious the government could have stopped this mess. Think about it.
TIMOTHY
Tangerang, Banten

The FPI equals a bunch of devil-in-disguise barbarians whose existence has to be banished from the face of the earth! Upon reading the news of the attack, I felt ashamed of being Muslim!

Go defend the victims of the mudflow or those living in poverty instead, you hypocrites! To the police and government: what is there to mull over? Disband the FPI! Don't tell me you are toothless when it comes to protecting the nation from thugs claiming to be the most devout of believers? I feel safe and protected already, catch my drift?
ARIE
Bandung

Islam is peaceful. How in the name of heaven could you call yourself a Muslim, Rizieq? You and your kind are living proof of the incapability of the Indonesian government to honor our own ideology of Pancasila. Congratulations! Your FPI will never be banned. The police need you to do what they cannot.
FIRDAUS ALMA
Kuala Lumpur

The government is scared to take action against the FPI because it fears doing so will offend the majority moderate Muslim voter base and cost votes.
IAN BRUCE
Jakarta

The FPI is becoming an organized crime outfit, just like the Yakuza or Mafia. It must be stopped. Now is the perfect moment to ban it. Do it now, SBY, or you'll lose my vote next year.
A. SUBIAKTO
Bogor, West Java

Other people who have different beliefs from you are also human beings (not necessarily second-class ones) and have the right to live in this country too. Indonesia is a diverse country that has to create more jobs -- not unrest -- to eradicate poverty, and therefore has to improve its reputation and encourage foreign investment and tourism.

To educate people on how to obey the law and to prevent the same thing from happening, the government has to quickly take legal action against those who disrespect the police and the law by taking the law into their own hands by attacking "sinful" people.

Justice is blind. It doesn't care if you are in the majority or minority.

That's not the case in this country, at least at the present time. That's why the government hasn't been able to stop such attacks.
ADRIANUS MARULITUA
Yogyakarta

The Jakarta Post always supports Ahmadiyah, anti-mainstream Islamic groups and Islamic liberals. But at the same time, the Post attacks the FPI, Hizbut Tahrir and mainstream Islam.

If the Post believes in pluralism, why do the editors always expose the bad sides of the FPI, Hizbut Tahrir and supporters of both organizations, but not want to learn why they exist?

If they believe in pluralism, the editors must not take sides in picking favorites, but must be fair in making reports.
LUKMAN
Bandar Lampung

The Ahmadiyah case is an internal Muslim issue concerning basic doctrines of Islamic teaching. Non-muslims in AKKBB have no right to interfere in it for any reason.
ANISA
Jakarta

It remains a big mystery to me why the government seems powerless to take stern action against the FPI. Their past and present bravado deserves lifetime prison sentences.

Where can we turn to if the government cannot provide safety for its citizens? Must we follow the FPI's path and take the law into our own hands? This insanity must stop once and for all before it consumes us and turns the country into an uncivilized nation.
ADITYAWARMAN
Jakarta

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