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Indonesian Scholars Pledge to Uproot Extremism
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Scholars,
foreground, watch the video showing the three Bali suicide
bombers.(Reuters)
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JAKARTA,
November 23, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – After
privately watching videos showing Bali bombers recordings before blowing
themselves up upon an invitation from the vice-president, Indonesia's
scholars decided to form a task force to counter extremist ideologies in
the most populous Muslim country on earth.
The
scholars were moved by the video they watched at the residence of
Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, the tape would not be shown to evade
negative impact on youths, according to the Strait Times
Wednesday, November 23.
"There
are two kinds of war against terrorists, the physical one carried out by
the police... and the most important one, that is the war against the
ideology," Kalla said in an opening address at a security seminar
in Jakarta Tuesday, adding that a battle to win Muslim hearts and minds
must be waged together with efforts by security forces.
"Today,
we arrest 10 people, but the ideology continues and the extremists can
recruit 50 more people," he maintained.
Three
suicide bombers blew themselves up at three popular eateries in Bali
Saturday, October 1, killing at least 25 people, including five
foreigners, and wounding more than 100.
Videos
made by suicide bombers, as well as one made by a hooded man - believed
to be Asia's most wanted militant, Jemaah Islamiah strategist Noordin
Mohamed Top - came as an alarming bell to the scholars, according to the
daily.
The
gathering included members of the nation's highest Islamic authority;
the Indonesian Ulama (scholars) Council, Muhammadiyah movement and
Nahdlatul Ulama who count on some 40 million members.
The
taskforce will reportedly give a hand to the government in a battle
against hard-line religious groups.
In
the past, many scholars and Muslim politicians have stayed clear of the
issue for fear of being seen as supportive of the United States, said
the Indonesian daily.
Banned
Publications
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The
three suicide bombers killed 25, including five foreigners, and
wounded more than 100. (Reuters)
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In
addition, the Indonesian government was requested by a religious leader
to ban books that propagate terror.
The
government should withdraw books containing radical views written by
Imam Samudra and Amrozi, two of three bombers in 2002 Bali bombings,
Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of Indonesia's largest Islamic movement
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) said Tuesday, according to Malaysian News Agency
Bernama.
Besides
withdrawing the books, Islamic organizations such as the Indonesian
Ulema Council (MUI) as well as NU and the second largest Islamic
movement Muhammadiyah should issue books to counter those written by
Imam and Amrozi, he said.
Hasyim
said the books by the two bombers have not explained jihad correctly and
made Islam a tool to serve their own interest instead of life guidance
and source of knowledge, according to Bernama.
"The
real meaning of jihad now is fighting for people's welfare, setting up
educational institutions and doing good deeds to others."
In
Islamic teachings, people are not allowed to kill others except in wars
like the ones in Middle-eastern countries where people fight against US
and Israeli arrogance, according to Hasyim.
"Yet
the war using religious symbols is irrelevant if it is implemented in
Indonesia which is not a theatre of war," he said.
Indonesia
is the most populous Muslim state with a population of 220 million, 80%
of them are Muslims.
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