"In this case, the role of all elements of society, interfaith leaders in particular, in providing guidance for religious followers is needed," the chairman of the Democrat Party faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), Jafar Hafsah, said here on Wednesday.
He said that interfaith leaders needed to build communications to build inclusive religious understanding so that violence would not be repeated or escalate into a wider scale.
"Resorting to violence in handling a problem reflects not only low intellectuality and ignorance of human civilization but also shows the weaknesses of the role of strategic groups such as organizations and religious figures in providing examples and understanding of religious diversity," Hafsah said.
He said that religious violence which took place of late such as that in Cikeusik in Pandeglang, Banten, and in Temanggung, Central Java, was proof of intolerance and disrespect of religious plurality.
On Sunday, at least three people were killed when thousands of residents attacked followers of Ahmadiyah Islamic sect in Cikeusik, Pandeglang, Benten province.
In the meantime, on Tuesday, at least there churches were destroyed by angry mobs who were dissatisfied with the sentencing to five years by a district court of a defendant in a religious contempt case.(*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
