Indonesia Must End Inhumane Treatment of Ahmadiyya Muslim Citizens

LONDON, August 16, 2011 -

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK expresses its outrage that another of our mosques in Indonesia has been attacked yesterday.

The continual spiral of violence and extremist attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims and other religious groups reflects how Indonesia is slipping into lawlessness which is doing untold damage to the country’s reputation.

The attack during Ramadan reveals the complete disregard the extremists have for the blessed month - a month that urges peace and prayer.

The impotence of the police and cavalier disregard of the judicial system to the enormity of the crimes is a testament to how the country is falling prey to extremists.

Far from being a beacon of democracy, Indonesia is showing the world how it is a hotbed for extremism. The Government has so far shown a complete lack of moral fibre in tackling terror in its midst and has in fact tacitly supported the extremists’ agenda by enacting ordinances against its own indigenous minority citizens.

Rafiq Hayat, National President Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK said:

“There is no place for murder and mayhem in the name of Islam. Indonesian authorities must act quickly and authoritatively to support minorities and put down those who are hell-bent on extremism.

“The world has witnessed too often the horrors of religious extremism. Indonesia must enforce the rule of law and isolate the extremists before more people are killed.”

The latest attacks come in the wake of a frenzied mob attack on our members when three Ahmadis were bludgeoned to death in public. The perpetrators have only received sentences of three to six months, whilst an Ahmadi who was defending himself has been jailed for 6 months, that is same or more than those who were attacking. We condemn this complete injustice that is being perpetrated both by the attackers and by the Government and call upon the British Government and the European Parliament to hold Indonesia to account for such inhumane treatment of its citizens.

Contact

Basharat Nazir media@ahmadiyya.org.uk Tel +44(0)7703-483-384

www.loveforallhatredfornone.org

www.alislam.org

.