Criticize Macron President Jokowi's Statement: Insulting Islam And Dividing Religious Associations

Press release of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), Saturday 31 October (Screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat Youtube)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's statement which was considered to have insulted religion and Muslims. Jokowi said that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world needed unity to deal with it, not even a divisive statement.

"Indonesia strongly condemns the statement of the French President which insults the religion of Islam which has hurt the feelings of Muslims around the world which could divide the unity between religious communities in the world at a time when the world needs unity to face the COVID-19 pandemic," Jokowi said in a press conference broadcast. on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Saturday, October 31.

He emphasized that Macron's statement linking religion to acts of terrorism was a big mistake. "Terrorism is terrorism. Terrorists are terrorists. Terrorism has nothing to do with anything," he stressed.

Jokowi also asked that freedom of expression which injures the honor of sanctity and the sacredness of the values of religious symbols must be stopped. Because this kind of thing cannot be justified.

Not only that, President Jokowi also emphasized that Indonesia strongly condemns the violence that occurred in Paris and Nice.

It is known that the stabbing took place in the Notre-Dame Basilica church in the City of Nice, France. As a result of the incident, two people reportedly died and a number of other people were injured.

This incident occurred when France had just faced the incident of beheading an early school teacher. The incident was motivated by the teacher's activity showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his students in class when they discussed freedom of opinion.

"Indonesia strongly criticizes the violence that occurred in Paris and Nice which has claimed lives," he said.

In the future, Jokowi said, Indonesia invited the world to reunite and strengthen tolerance between religious communities. This is essential for building a better world.

It is known, after the student's beheading of his teacher, President Emmanuel Macron then called Islam a religion that is in crisis and promised to fight Islamic separatism. As a result of this statement, various criticisms then emerged, including from Arab countries. In fact, a number of trade associations in these countries boycotted products from France.