Sharply different perspectives on religious persecution in Indonesia have been laid before the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
A Christian professor and a Muslim leader from Indonesia shared their opinions as to the cause and severity of the conflict in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. Fighting between Muslims and Christians erupted in the Malukus in January 1999. More than 4,000 people have been killed and as many as 500,000 people displaced since then.
A weak government that is Islamic-friendly, influence from outside jihad warriors and ideological clashes among Muslims and Christians have flamed the current religious fighting, said John Titaley, a professor at Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, Indonesia.
“The emergence of religious feelings which have encouraged the slaughtering of pastors and the burning down of church buildings… are seen as systematic attempts to eliminate historical records of Christianity in Maluku and Ambon in particular,” Titaley said.
He told the commissioners about forced conversions to Islam and forced circumcisions of Christian men and women. He also said many Christians are being held hostage in mosques.
However, H.M. Jusuf Ely, chairman of the Jaziratul Muluk Muslim organization in Ambon, Indonesia, insisted the conflict is not a religious war.
“The conflict is involving Muslim and Christian Protestant only, but not with Christian Catholic,” he said. “The conflict is not a religious conflict.”
One panelist suggested funding for the conflict is coming from the Middle East.
“There are reports in Muslim communities that there has been a significant inflow of financial support from the Middle East, in particular from non-government segments of Saudi Arabia,” said Robert Hefner, a professor of anthropology at Boston University. (BP)
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