Indonesians denounce planned Qur’an burning

By Konradus Epa, Jakarta

Indonesian religious leaders say they want to meet the US ambassador to protest a plan by a Florida evangelical church to burn copies of the Qur’an.

The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, plans to hold an “International Burn a Koran Day” on Sept. 11 to commemorate the 2001 attacks in the US.

“The campaign and provocation of Pastors Terry and Sylvia Jones deserves to be condemned,” Indonesian religious leaders said in a statement read out by Reverend Henry Lokra of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia and Damien Dematra of the Pluralism Care Movement.

The Catholic, Confucian, Hindu, Muslim and Protestant leaders, at their Aug. 4 press conference, described the American church’s proposal as an abuse of Islam, and a violation of religious freedom and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We condemn the Dove World Outreach Center’s plan and ask the church to immediately withdraw its statement and call off its ignoble plan, which puts other religions in contempt,” they said.

The leaders also called on the US government to immediately intervene to halt the plan which they said could trigger religious conflict around the world.

“We urge all parties not to heed the Dove World Outreach Center’s appeal and ask all people, including religious people in Indonesia, not to be trapped in an uncivilized anarchist action,” they added.

The leaders called on the Indonesian government to continue efforts to improve religious freedom and asked people to maintain peace and harmony.

The group said they hope to meet the US ambassador to deliver their statement and hold a dialogue on the issue.

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