ISLAMIC MASS ORGANIZATIONS URGED NOT BE PROVOKED OVER FPI ISSUE

Jakarta, June 9 (ANTARA) - The coordinator of the Peaceful Alliance against Islam's Defilement (ADA API), Noer Muhammad Iskandar, called on Islamic mass organizations in the country to exercise self-restraint and not to be provoked by calls for the dissolution of the Islam Defenders' Front (FPI) over the Monas Square inncident. In an oration at an ADA API rally in front of the Merdeka Palace here on Monday, Iskandar said Islamic mass organizations should not take part in the clamor for FPI's disbandment because the Monas Square incident was in the process of being legally settled by the authorities. He said whether or not FPI should be dissolved was a matter that only a court of law could decide. Physical or verbal conflicts among Muslims would only disadvantage Muslims themselves, said Iskandar who is also head of the Asshiddiqiyyah Islamic Boarding School. About the demand of many Muslim organizations to dissolve the Ahamdiyah sect, he said Ahmadiyah's dissolution would not be a violation of religious freedom. "Muslims' demand for disbandment of the deviant Ahmadiyah sect is not a violation of religion freedom because Ahmadiyah has defiled Islamic teachings by recognizing Mirza Ghulan Ahmad (Ahmadiyah's founder) as the last prophet, instead of the Prophet Muhammad," he said. Therefore, Iskandar urged the government to put an end to the controversy concerning Ahmadiyah by issuing a joint ministerial decree on the sect's disbandment. The rally of thousands of Muslims coordinated by the Peaceful Alliance against Islam's Defilement (ADA API) outside the presidential palace called for the disbandment of Ahmadiyah. The participants of the peaceful rally which was tightly guarded by hundreds of police personnel consisted mostly of women wearing white clothes. From the palace they planned to march to the Jakarta Police Headquarters where a number of Islam Defenders' Front (FPI) members are being detained over the Monas Square incident. The demonstrators' movements which were kept under constant watch by police equipped with water cannons, caused severe congestions in the main avenues through which they passed, namely Jalan Thamrin, Jalan Merdeka Barat and Jalan Merdeka Utara. They carried banners demanding the disbanding of Ahmadiyah, which they considered to be a deviant sect, and the release of FPI Chairman Habib Rizieq Shihab who is among the FPI personnel being held by the Jakarta Police. ADA API consists of a number of Islamic organizations such as Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Aliansi Islam Ahli Sunah Wal Jamaah (Asuaja), and Forum Betawi Rempug (FBR). ***3*** M040 (F001/A/HAJM/A/S012) 5:50/.... )