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March 18, 2006

Villagers vandalize houses of Ahmadiyah followers

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara (Antara): Residents of Prapen village in Lonbok Tengah regency, West Nusa Tenggara vandalized houses of Ahmadiyah followers Friday night, causing at least 13 people fledtheir houses to avoid violence.

There was no report of injury during the incident, but one house was totally destroyed, while three others posed minor damages. As many as 13 people are now being sheltered at Lombok Tengah police precinct.

Basirun, one of Ahmadiyah figure in Lombok Tengah, slammed the incident, and called the local government to protect Ahmadiyah people from any violence.

“We will report the incident to the National Commission on Human Rights,” Basirun told Antara news agency, adding that there are 80 Ahmadiyah followers in Prapen village.

Some 20 houses of Ahmadiyah followers in Gegerung village, Lombok Barat regency, were also attacked by villagers on Feb. 4, causing some 132 people have been forced to leave the village.

Ahmadiyah has been branded a heretical group by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) through its fatwa issued last year. In 1984, the Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a circular to provincial offices across the country, declaring that Ahmadiyah wasmisleading and against Islam.

The group believes that another prophet, its founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, came after Muhammad, the last prophet of God in Islam.

In July, thousands of people attacked the Ahmadiyah compound in Parung, Bogor, West Java, in a protest against the group’s teachings.

The attack was condemned by Muslim organizations and leaders, who said that faith differences must not be resolved with violence. (**)

Source: www.thejakartapost.com/detaillgen.asp?fileid=20060318170852&irec=0