The concept of "Gelar Sajadah" is a moral approach done in the framework of safeguarding and familiarizing Governor Regulation Number 12 of 2011 banning the activities of Ahmadiyah in the region. That is not an operation.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government reiterated that there had been no operations like "Gelar Sajadah" (spreading out prayer mat) in West Java to deal with problems linked to Ahmadiyah followers.

"There is not a thing like that," religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali said when met at the presidential palace here on Thursday.

He said he had met with the related parties in West Java and he could assure that such operation had never happened.

"I have met with the chief of West Java`s 3rd Siliwangi Military Region and with the regional police chief and found that no operation like that namely TNI (military) and police personnel coming to the homes of Ahmadiyah followers to force them with intimidation to sign a statement stating they have converted to Islam. Nothing like that has happened," he said.

Home affairs minister Gamawan Fauzi also denied that such a thing had happened. He said he have even checked with the West Java provincial government to assure that. "I have checked with the governor and found it has never happened," he said.

The chief of the Siliwangi Military Command, Major General Muldoko, had said that no special operations such as "Gelar Sajadah" had ever happened to deal with Ahmadiyah followers in the region.

"I reaffirm that no activity categorized as an operational has been carried out with regard to leading Ahmadiyah followers in the region and Banten province," he said on the sidelines of a meeting of leaders of Islamic boarding schools and Islamic organizations across West Java in Sumedang, West Java, on Thursday.

The concept of "Gelar Sajadah" is a moral approach done in the framework of safeguarding and familiarizing Governor Regulation Number 12 of 2011 banning the activities of Ahmadiyah in the region. "That is not an operation," he said.

He said it was just a mere moral approach to settle problems developing in the community. The problem could cause a conflict if it is ignored, he said.

Muldoko said he had summoned chiefs of some district military commands and units to give clarification in case wrong interpretation happened in connection with efforts to safeguard the governor`s decision.

"I have summoned unit commanders and questioned them one by one. If anyone found conducting operations I will put them in jail. Nothing like that has ever happened. People must not misinterpret "Gelar Sajadah" approach," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011