TEMPO.CO, Jakarta –
Inter-religious friction is prone to occur in a number of areas in the country. In West Nusa Tenggara and Bogor, for example, a number of Ahmadis were expelled from their territory. Same is happening in Sampang, Madura, when Shia Sunni evict. But in Wonosobo, Central Java, people who embrace different faiths can coexist.
Wonosobo regent, Abdul Arif Kholiq, invited all people of faith to worship according to their belief. “The Prophet respected Jews. I also should behave appropriately towards people who had faith, “said Regent Kholiq who was elected head of the local Tempo option in 2012 .
Wonosobo Regent, Abdul Arif Kholiq who made this peace possible and prevail
According to him, as members, minority groups are pay equal taxes. Because of that, he said the government is responsible for providing security for all citizens when they worship, not to mention the Ahmadis.
In Wonosobo, the city which runs on the slopes of Mount Cleft and Mount Sindoro, there are at least 6,000 Ahmadis. Ahmadiyah preacher, Sajid Ahmad Sutikno, said that because of firmness of Regents to make them safe. “We do not have a problem here,”.
Similarly, Confucians, Taoists and Buddhists. They observe religious holidays without fear. In addition to providing a sense of security at the time to practice, local governments also facilitate religious people who want to establish a place of worship.
Obviously with the Forum for Religious Harmony involves, inter-faith dialogue continue in the town. Ethnic Chinese residents, Imam senior official said, a high religious tolerance in his city. “A number of scholars and habib often attend our invitation in the temple,” said Imam.
To build inter-religious harmony is certainly not an easy job. Kholiq tells regents during the early leadership in 2004, a number of social issues came to the surface. Ranging from inter-village brawl, riot, crime rate was quite high up till 2010.
In this period, a great fire also burned the central market Wonosobo. Thieves burned, fights happened, then the shops closed early. To solve this security problem, the Regent embraced the thugs. “They should not be discarded, except those who violate the rights of others,” he said.
Kholiq have a unique way. He was involved in the activities of the thugs also keagaman macapatan-song tradition traditional Javanese. He also took the Military District Command to provide therapy to the champion it.
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Alhamdolillah. Some good News for a change!