By Bernama,
Jakarta : The executive board of the Indonesian Muslim Brotherhood Movement (PB GPMI) said the incident at the National Monument (Monas) square last Sunday, had created a rift within the Muslim community, the Antara news agency reported Monday.
“The Monas incident has led to a rift within the Muslim community, and there is an impression it is an attempt to divert the people’s attention from the fundamental issue being faced by the nation today, namely the people’s demand for the revocation of the fuel oil price increases and the lowering of the prices of basic commodities,” its chairman Ahmad Sumargono said in a statement.
It said further that all elements of the nation, especially students, should not be influenced by the June 1 incident but continue to call on the government to annul the domestic fuel oil price hikes.
More than 70 people were injured when members of the Islam Defenders’ Front (FPI) attacked National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Belief (AKKBB) activists holding a gathering at the Monas Square on Sunday afternoon, June 1, 2008, to commemorate the 63rd year of Pancasila, the state ideology.
The attack by the FPI members on the AKKBB activists was later condemned by human rights activists, politicians, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah Muslim organizations.
Quotiong Ahmad, the state media reported that the root of the Monas Square incident was the government’s inaction on the issue of Ahmadiyah, a sect many Muslim organizations consider to be heretical.