We sealed the mosque to accommodate the local residents` demand to get rid of communal conflicts in the areaBogor (ANTARA News) - A mosque owned by Ahmadiyah religious sect followers in Bogor Barat subdistrict, Bogor city, West Java, was sealed by the city`s authorities on Monday.
The Mubarok mosque was sealed by Assistant of Bogor city government`s administrative and societal affairs, Rahman Edgar Suratman, to calm down hundreds of angry Ahmadiyah protesters.
"We sealed the mosque to accommodate the local residents` demand to get rid of communal conflicts in the area," Rahman Edgar Suratman said.
The demonstrators also demanded that the government dissolve all Ahmadiyah followers` religious activities in Bogor city.
The anti-Ahmadiyah rally was staged by several hundred residents in front of Sindang Barang village`s administrative office, demanding for the dissolution of all Ahmadiyah followers` religious activities.
The Ahmadiyah sect has so far been banned in West Java and East Java provinces.
The West Java provincial government`s spokesman, Ruddy Gandakusumah, said recently that with the issuance of this regulation, all activities related to Ahmadiyah religious sect were outlawed and banned in West Java.
The calls for banning the Ahmadiyah sect`s teachings in Indonesia have repeatedly and consistently been echoed by various elements of Muslim society members in the country over the past few weeks.
On March 1, for instance, hundreds of Muslims, including those of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) staged a rally to demand the banning of the Ahmadiyah religious sect`s teachings in Indonesia.
FPI Chairman Habib Salim Alatas said, in solving this problem, President Yudhoyono was asked to issue a decree banning Ahmadiyah.
On February 18, a number of Islamic organizations and the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) in Banten had also asked the government to ban the Ahmadiyah sect in the province soon.
MUI, Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and Religious Followers` Harmony Forum (FKUB) in Banten Province had agreed to again call on the provincial government to ban all activities of the Ahmadiyah, he said.
A series of attacks on Ahmadiyah religious sect followers and their properties have occurred in some parts of Indonesia over the past two years.
The latest incident happened in Umbulan village Cikeusik subdistrict, Pandeglang district, Banten province, on February 6, killing three people.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
