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Preacher declares war on pluralism

Jakarta Post - June 9, 2014

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Bambang Muryanto and Sri Wahyuni, Yogyakarta – Preacher Ja'far Umar Thalib whose followers have been linked to alleged religion-based conflict, told Muslims in a Yogyakarta mosque on Sunday evening to declare war on pluralism.

Speaking at a tablig (gathering) entitled "Muslims Unite for Developed Indonesia" at Masjid Gedhe grand mosque in Kauman, Ja'far lambasted pluralism because it taught that all religions were equally right.

"This is a statement of war against Muslims because it's an apostasy of Muslims," Ja'far told the congregation of about 2,000 people. He said it was obligatory for Muslims to oppose pluralism because of the potential for conflict.

"There is no tolerance when religion is degraded," said the former commander of Laskar Jihad Ahlussunah Wal Jamaah, whose members were reportedly involved in bloody conflicts in Ambon in early 2000.

The event was jointly organized by the Yogyakarta Islamic People's Forum (FUI) and Muslim Green Zone.

The mosque's imam, Budi Setiawan, said that previously the tablig was titled Umat Islam Bersatu Melawan Pluralisme (Muslims Unite to Fight Against Pluralism) but he had asked the organizing committee to change it to make it less contentious.

Budi said he had received complaints about the title after the invitation for the tablig went viral on social media.

He said the organizing committee had promptly changed it, yet, he was not sure if everyone had received the second version of the invitation. "The first title was not conducive for the moment, especially after recent events," Budi told The Jakarta Post prior to the event.

Budi was referring to the recent attacks by a group of men wearing gamis (Arab clothes) on a house that was hosting a rosary prayer group and on a Pentecostal church in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta.

Budi said he was fearful that the first version of the invitation would worsen the sectarian violence that had plagued Yogyakarta recently.

Speaking at the opening of the gathering, Budi told the congregation that the content of the sermons should not incite hatred.

He also said that Islam had its fair share of differences. "It's our task to find similarities, not differences," Budi said.

Meanwhile, Coordinator of Yogyakarta Anti Violence Community (Makaryo) Denny Susanto said that Ja'far's preaching was provocative. "Yogyakarta is facing the hard task of maintaining pluralism," Denny, who attended the event, said.

Budi Setiawan concurred, saying that Islam as understood by Ja'far was not necessarily the same as Muslims in general. He was referring to Ja'far's comment that Islam was a "religion of war".

Many feared that the event was politically motivated. But there were no local politicians at the tablig.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/06/09/preacher-declares-war-pluralism.html.