REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) chairman, Sulton Fathoni said religious communities should be able to respect and help each others. Religious communities should also able to live in harmony.

"As a religious believers, we believe in God with all the consequences of positive impact, such as respecting others, helping others, living harmoniously, and others," said Sulton on Tuesday (March 20).

Sulton comment's came as a respons to a protest filed by Communion of Churches in Jayapura regency (PGGJ). The communion objected with the construction of Al Aqsa Sentani mosque minaret in the region. PGGJ considered the tower and call for prayers (adzan) disrupted the integrity pact.

According to Sulton, religious communities should have not questioned something that is symbolic, such as a minaret. By the emerge of the case in Jayapura, Sulton assessed many people are religious in a mere formality.

"Religious communities that are still fussy about accessories, symbols, ornaments, and others, they were probably only practicing the religion as a formality," Sulton remarked.

The Inter-Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) Jayapura has formed a working team to solve the problem betweens Confederation of Churches in Jayapura District (PGGJ) and the committee of Al Aqsha Sentani mosque construction. The decision reached through a stakeholders meeting at Jayapura Regent's office on Monday (March 19).

FKUB called on the people to accept the working team. They also asked the people to restrain themselves because the problem can be solved by joint deliberation. 

"I called on all citizens, the Muslims, Christians, Catholic, to restrain themselves from provocation related to SARA (ethnicity, religion, and race) issues," reverend Hosea Taudufu said to Republika.co.id, Monday (March 19). 

Earlier, PGGJ urged the construction of Al Aqsa Sentani mosque minaret to be stopped and demolished, maximum on March 31. The height of mosque also must be lowered, not higher than the churches building in the surrounding area.

PGGJ chairman reverend Robbi Depondoye also said that during the last four decade there has been a feeling of discomfort in the society. He assessed tolerance in Kenambai Umbai as the land of Christs gospel civilization has been responded wrongfully by other religious believers.

Furthermore, Robbi said the call for prayers voiced over loudspeaker did not respect Christian living nearby. The Muslims have also build mosque without communicating it first.

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