'Not all conflicts in Middle East related to religion'

Jakarta, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has drawn focus to the fact that not all problems or conflicts in the Middle East are related to religion, and hence, all Indonesians must be aware of it.<>

Speaking at a meeting on political, legal, and human rights matters here on Monday, President Yudhoyono emphasized that several problems in the Middle East arose as a result of internal conflicts among Muslims within a country in the region.

The Indonesian Government, however, was aware of the fact that majority of the Indonesians were Muslims, so it was always responsive to any development related to the problems in the Middle East.

"Majority of our people are Muslims, so many of us pay attention to what is happening in the Middle East," he affirmed.

President Yudhoyono further added that Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto had chaired a meeting about the impact of conflicts in Iraq and Syria, and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The head of state will hear the result of the meeting that Minister Suyanto had chaired.

Related to the presence of ISIS, Military Chief General Moeldoko remarked that the organization should not be allowed to thrive in Indonesia as it can threaten social cohesion.

"This ISIS issue is very important, and it must not be allowed to flourish in Indonesia," he pointed out.

Minister for Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin has earlier warned that the ISIS is a radical organization whose cadres and followers frequently used violence to realize their goals.

Therefore, the ideology of ISIS was against Indonesias Pancasila (Five Basic Principles) because the ISIS followers believed that Pancasila was something that should be fought, he remarked.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq