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ec 29, Online

A Shia Islamic boarding school (pesantren), Misbahul Hudayah, in Nangkrenang hamlet, Karang Gayam village in Sampang, Madura, was attacked and set ablaze by an unidentified group of people on Thursday.

School adviser Iklil al Milal said the perpetrators also burned down his house and the house belonging to the school’s principal, Tajul Muluk.

“I heard this morning rumors that a group of people were going to burn our school building, so I rushed to the school,” Iklil told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

“I was just about to discuss the issue with the school principal and
a few students, when a group of people arrived and burned our school compound.”

Iklil said no-one was injured as they managed to evacuate everyone before the building was attacked.

“The perpetrators were the same people who attacked our school in 2006. They included both local villagers and people from outside,” he said, “We have received threats and intimidation almost everyday since then. They even threatened to kill us.”

Iklil said he had reported the incident this morning to police but the several police officers who visited the school did nothing.

Your comments:

Education still fails to smarten the people.

Religious teaching also fails to smarten its followers. Again here in Indonesia we have a conflict relating to ideology and different points of views that make people resort to violence.

Secular education and religious teaching must be able to improve the moral and mental abilities of students so as to broaden their perspectives. Many majority groups feel uncomfortable if there is a new idea related to ideology or different teachings.

If we are followers of a certain religion and feel the need to have a God, there should be no more fears or scares about the changes around us. Everything that changes around us as part of life should be accepted and not rejected.

To reject the changes means to make our minds suffer and suffer. There must be a guide for the teachings of a religion’s followers, including the leaders of the majority groups because they often become patrons of their followers.

If the leaders feel afraid or fear the changes then of course they will provoke their followers to fight back. Then, conflicts either mentally or physically, will happen.

Briefly, secular education and religious teachings have so far have failed to make the followers smart, independent and broad-minded. Again, religion has failed to smarten its followers.

I feel sorry and very deeply concerned to see the condition until now.

Achmad Baihaqi

My New Years resolution: No fighting and more peace; live together and enjoy life.

Let’s make next year 2012, not 1012.

Reginald

It is indeed a sad testament of man’s inhumanity towards his fellow man. Some misguided souls believe that by destroying others who profess a different belief will please God and result in some heavenly reward.

Those of us who believe in a supreme, caring, loving God must realize that God will not condone violence perpetrated in His name.

Paul E. Rantaau

How many police were arrested? If the answer is none then a total revamp of the police must be done! In this case, it looks like it was perfectly fine to shoot rioters.

All minorities should be given AK-47s so when the majority gets out of line they can be put in their place. The police are not real police, just people who dress in a brown uniform.

Dimi Belami