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Groups condemn planned Koran burning

NU Online  ·  Rabu, 4 Agustus 2010 | 15:30 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
Religious leaders and promoters of pluralism in the country have condemned the plans of a church in Florida in the US to burn copies of the Koran to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), the Parisada Hindu Council and the Indonesia Confucianism High Assembly (Matakin) are among the religious organizations grouped under the Movement for Pluralism that made a joint statement Wednesday denouncing the planned act as “a despicable, uncivilized [act that] must be condemned”. />
Other groups in the movement include the Wahid Institute, the Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB), the Moderate Muslim Society and the Christian Youth Movement of Indonesia (Gamki).

The statement calls for the US government “to immediately stop the uncivilized plan [that] not only constitutes a violation of human rights, but can also trigger religious tension and conflict all over the world”.

Muslim intellectual Zuhairi Misrawi, also the director of Moderate Muslim Society, said the plan has the potential to harm the relatively conducive current atmosphere of religious tolerance around the world.

“But we have to remember that [those who are planning the event] do not represent a certain religion, because most Christians have also condemned [the burning],” he said. (jp/dar)