REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla has invited Islamic organizations leaders to discuss tawheed flag burning incident. The case has triggered massive protest in some regions.
"We talked for almost 2.5 hours and we decided to make a joint statement," Kalla said on Friday (Oct 26).
The meeting resulted with five points of statements. First of all, they reminded that Indonesia has always solve all problems through deliberation and mutual understanding while maintaining unity with the wisdom and noble values of the nation.
Secondly, they regretted the burning of flag in Limbangan, Garut, West Java. They agreed to maintain an atmosphere of peace and tried to reduce the heat to prevent the case develop in an undesirable direction.
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Kalla holds meetings with Islamic organization leaders
Thirdly, they said that in an effort to resolve and end the problem, perpetrators that burned and carried the flag have conveyed an apology. The leaders of GP Anshor and Nahdlatul Ulama regretted the incident and have given sanction for actions that go beyond prosedures. They hoped it will not happen again.
Fourthly, they also called all Indonesian people to join hands, reject all forms of attempts to bring into conflict and disunity. They encouraged all people to refrain from escalating the problem. They called on all Muslims to put forward Islamic da'wah in the best manner.
Lastly, they would leave the case, if there is a violation of law, to the National Police.
"Let's us together maintain peace and establish Islamic brotherhood," Kalla said.
The flag containing the Arabic writing of Tawheed was burned by several members of Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU's) youth wing, Gerakan Pemuda Ansor (GP Ansor) on National Santri Day on Oct 22 in Garut, West Java.
For millions of Muslims around the world, tawhid (tawheed), meaning "oneness (of God)," is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam and the religion's central and single-most important concept, upon which a Muslim's entire faith rests.
The incident was condemned by various Islamic clerics arguing that the flag containing the writing of Tawheed was commonly used by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).