Vice President Talks About Al-Qurant Destruction: It's Not A Form Of Freedom Of Expression

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin emphasized that the destruction of the Koran, as happened in Sweden and the Netherlands, was not a form of freedom of expression.

"So, I don't think this is true if this is freedom of expression, then people can do it arbitrarily regardless of the rights of others, other parties," said Ma'ruf Amin at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Thursday, January 26, quoted by Antara.

The Indonesian government has taken a stance to reduce the conflict, by summoning the ambassadors of the two countries to prevent problems from becoming wider.

"Indonesia always takes a stand to reduce the potential for conflict. This is the government has made a diplomatic note about this incident and will summon its ambassador, because it could trigger conflict," said Ma'ruf.

If these two incidents are not immediately suppressed, he said, it could potentially widen or even conflict in other countries.

"Therefore, this is what is not realized, this potential can lead to an attitude of hostility. Moreover, even actions, words, should be maintained," he added.

In order to avoid similar conflicts, Ma'ruf Amin said it was necessary to implement the theology of harmony.

"Theology of harmony is also not allowed in conveying religious understandings that cause conflict, it must be maintained; not only in our country, but also in other countries," he explained.

Ma'ruf Amin said that the Indonesian government had tried to prevent conflicts from occurring from tarnishing any religion.

"We prevent blasphemy. We must give sanctions so as not to occur and cause conflict," he said.

He hopes that events like Sweden and the Netherlands will not have an impact on the harmony of the Indonesian people.

"We are the most tolerant nation in this world, he considers. Therefore, we hope that what happened in Sweden or the Netherlands will not affect us. This means that we as a nation already have a basis, spirit, character that we have fostered as a tolerant nation. Don't let intolerant elements enter here," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin.

Earlier, Saturday (21/1), a copy of the Quran was burned by the far-right Swedish-Denmark Rasmus Paludan extreme group outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.

In carrying out his actions, Paludan received protection from the police and permission from the Swedish Government. The Swedish government allowed the burning of the Al Quran because it considered the action as part of freedom of expression and opinion.

Then, Sunday (21/1), a Dutch far-right politician and Islamophobic group leader Pegida Edwin Wagensveld tore up a number of pages of the Al Quran in The Hague. The video of Wagensveld on Twitter shows him burning the page of the book in a pot.

The incident against the Quran in the two European countries sparked criticism from various Muslims in the world.

The Egyptian religious organization Al-Azhar, Wednesday (25/1), even called for a boycott of Dutch and Swedish products amid anger over blasphemy against the holy book Al Quran. Al-Azhar called on all Arabs and Muslims to comply with the boycott instruction and educate Muslim children, youth and women about it.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sweden should not expect the blessing of Turkey to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if they do not show respect for Muslims.