"I call on the people to be grateful that our hearts are driven to gather here and stay united to pray for peace in the country," Gatot said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias Military Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo has asked religious followers to stay united and sincerely pray for peace in the country.
"I call on the people to be grateful that our hearts are driven to gather here and stay united to pray for peace in the country," Gatot said before thousands of Muslim participants of a mass prayer at Monas Square here on Friday.
He called on the people to pray for the heroes who fought for the countrys freedom.
"Revolutionary heroes are martyrs. We realize that we can have our independence with the power of Allah SWT. And in this moment, we pray together for the long journey in front of us," he added.
Monas Square was one of the venues of the mass prayer organized by the Indonesian police and military, in addition to other venues in some churches, Hindu temples and other worship houses.
Also attending the mass prayer led by Ustaz Arifin Ilham and Habib Al-Musyafah were Indonesian Police Chief General Tito Karnavian and Jakarta Police Chief Inspector General Muhammad Iriawan.
Meanwhile Karnavian expressed his hope that the mass prayer could become an inherent move in preserving the countrys unity.
He explained that the case that involved non-active Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or widely known as Ahok, who was named a suspect for alleged religious blasphemy, should not become a source of fragmentation for the nation.
"I call on the people to let this case be settled through legal process, and not mix it with race, ethnicity and other issues," he stated.
On simultaneous local elections due to be held in 2017, he said that it has become part of the political system that allows eligible voters to elect their leaders.
"What we have done together will mean nothing without the help of Allah," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
