Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura Municipal Religious Affairs Department will set up a division to deal with radicalism.
“This task force unit is consisting of our instructors that are recruited to meet our goals,” Syamsudin said on Sunday (29/3/2105) by phone.
He said he received reports about the activities of some religious sects and the task force will investigate. “In particular in Koya, there are those who are part of this sect prohibiting their children to got to school and we will confirm it,” he said. Further he hoped such a group would not exist in Jayapura Municipal.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Indonesia Institute for Democracy and Public Policy, Taufan Hunneman reminded the government about the importance of the stability of security in order to support the economic growth. He explained by referring to the current situation, the most obvious danger is the raising of sectarian issues such as Shia-Sunni issue and religious radicalism.
“Radicalism is not part of our national culture root,” said Taufan in Jakarta last week. A second danger, he continued, is a report about 500-1000 people going to Iran and Suriah for jihad (fight for its faith). “This is a critical problem which give a cause and influence to us, moreover those who involved in the war out there could only get a legal punishment instead of revocation of citizenship,” Taufan said. (Sindung Sukoco/rom)
