Jakarta, NU Online
Nahdlatul Ulama, the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization greatly appreciated the disputing parties in Sampang for finally sitting together to declare peace following a string of clashes between the two communities during the past few years.<>

"We do appreciate the peace treaty signing," deputy secretary general of NU Abdul Mun'im DZ told NU Online here on Thursday, adding that there should be commitment from the two parties to put aside differences erupting from the clashes.

As reported, around 50 Sunni followers from Karang Gayam village in Omben subdistrict and Blu’uran village in Karang Penang subdistrict in Sampang traveled to the Puspo Argo low-cost apartment building in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Monday . They met with around 40 representatives from the Shia group who had been forced by the East Java government to live there.

Among the Sunni followers was Zainul, a farmer who joined the attack on Shiites in Sampang in August last year. Two people died in the assault, including Zainul’s adoptive father, a Shiite named Hamama.

When the peace declaration was about to begin, Zainul approached the Shia representative.

“I want to meet my adoptive mom,” he whispered.

His adoptive mother, only known as Ibu Hamama (Mrs. Hamama), showed up.

“In front of everybody there, Zainul embraced his mother. They cried together,” Hertasning Ichlas, a lawyer for Shia refugees told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday. “Those who witnessed it were moved and cried as well.”

Mrs. Hamama decided to forgive Zainul for joining the attack that killed her husband.

Hamzah, a religious figure in Madura, who initiated the peace declaration, led the event.

“We’re all Muslims, we should love each other,” Hamzah said, as quoted by Aan Anshori, the coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Islamic Network (JIAD) who witnessed the event.

Aan said Saningwar, a Sunni follower who joined the attack, gave a speech representing other Sunni followers. He said that he was provoked to attack the Shiites, and he wanted to start anew. After saying that he felt sorry for what they had done, Saningwar could not hold his tears and he was unable to continue his speech.

On Tuesday Saningwar told the Jakarta Globe that he cried because he felt sorry for causing trouble for the Shiites, of whom many are relatives.

"I feel so sorry to see the children, my brothers to live in that condition," Saningwar said. "I'm feeling so remorseful."

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq