“As local customary leaders have said, Jayapura District is home to all Indonesians from diverse backgrounds. The unity in diversity must be maintained forever,"
Sentani, Papua (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Jayapura District, Papua Province, lauded local Christian youths for their sense of interfaith tolerance among members of communities that had contributed to a peaceful Ramadan.

Several Christian youths were involved in safeguarding local Muslims who conducted a "Takbiran" parade to celebrate the eve of Eid al-Fitr that marked the end of Ramadan on Tuesday evening.

The collective endeavors to create a sense of interfaith tolerance among members of communities in Jayapura need to be maintained and fostered, Chairman of the MUI-Jayapura Chapter Mustofa stated here, Wednesday.

Interfaith tolerance-related values that have contributed to the law and order in community could have been implemented optimally in the district owing to the full support of all people, including Christian youths.

This conducive condition has also been made possible due to the Jayapura district government's hard work along with those from the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda), he affirmed.

“As local customary leaders have said, Jayapura District is home to all Indonesians from diverse backgrounds. The unity in diversity must be maintained forever," Mustofa stated.

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims across the world, including those in Papua, during which they observe a full month of fasting.

It ends on the first day of the month of Syawal, marked by a religious festivity called Eid al-Fitr.

The Indonesian Ministry for Religious Affairs determined that this year's Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, fell on April 10.

Regarding the Eid celebration, earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had expressed hope that it may become a momentum for the community to forgive one another and rebuild brotherhood for a harmonious nation.

The president echoed the sentiment during an Eid al-Fitr greeting video uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Presidential Secretariat.

"Hopefully, on this holy day, we can forgive each other and stay in touch with each other to rebuild our brotherhood to become a harmonious and peaceful nation, to be united in building Indonesia," he stated.

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Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Arie Novarina
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