"Violence is no longer our method. We have abandoned it," Habib Rizieq said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chairman of the Islam Defenders` Front (FPI) Habib Rizieq said members of his organization had abandoned violence as a way of expressing their aspirations.

Habib made the statement during meeting with Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali here on Friday.

"Violence is no longer our method. We have abandoned it," he said.

The FPI had become known as a hardline mass organization that often resorts to violence when protesting against a group of people or things that according to them ran against Islamic teachings.

Raids and destruction of bars and massage parlors in several cities in Indonesia and violence against members of the minority group Ahmadiyah that cost three lives were some of the examples of FPI`s actions during the past years.

But lately FPI`s actions had triggered reaction from the people urging the government to take firm action against FPI.

In early February, local people in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, held rally against the planned presence of an FPI branch office in the province.

Last Tuesday (Feb 14), a group of activists, previously stating their thought about FPI on twitter, rallied in front of Hotel Indonesia roundabout protesting the series of violence conducted by FPI. Though only participated in by 100 protesters, the rally (coincided with Valentine day`s celebration) marked the first public shout-out against FPI.

Sharing the same thought with the activists, National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) Governor Budi Susilo Soepandji also called on law enforcing agencies not to hesitate in dealing firmly with mass organizations that often resort to violent or destructive acts that disturbed public order.

Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali after the Friday meeting with Habib Rizieq expressed appreciation towards FPI`s willingness to change its violence-prone actions.

"FPI must put forward gentle and persuasive ways in speaking their thought to the public instead of using violence," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012