Indonesian extremists are “manipulating” the conflict in Gaza to promote radical Islam
ICC Note:
Islamic extremists in Indonesia are accused of utilizing the conflict in Gaza to spread propaganda highlighting the conflict between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East and promote a fundamentalist view of Islam in the country.
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1/9/09 Indonesia (AsiaNews) Islamic fundamentalist groups are using the Palestinian crisis to highlight the conflict between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East, and to promote a fundamentalist view of Islam in Indonesia. The charge comes from activists for interreligious dialogue and minority representatives, who point out appeals to jihad on the part of extremist movements, an escalation in protests, and a distorted view of the reasons for the conflict in Palestine, in a significant subgroup of Indonesian Muslims.
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In recent days, there have been demonstrations, flags burned, boycotts of American products and brands, and the “closing” of a private home used as a synagogue.
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The attempt to radicalize the conflict in the Holy Land in religious terms is of concern to the moderate Muslim majority in the country, and to activist organizations. Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, while condemning the atrocities committed in Gaza, also excludes any religious motivation, and calls for “diplomatic means” to resolve the conflict. He is echoed by the Indonesian commission for women’s rights, which accuses the extremist wing of circulating “misleading news” for a political purpose: to promote a fundamentalist view of Islam in the country.
