Summon the Swedish Ambassador, the Government Condemns and Asks for the Al-Quran Burning Event Not to Be Repeated

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government condemns and requests that the burning of copies of the Koran should not happen again in Sweden in the future.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) had summoned the Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia Marina Berg regarding the burning of copies of the Koran by a right-wing leader that occurred in Sweden some time ago.

"So it was last week, if I'm not mistaken, yes, it was (summoned)", said Retno after a working meeting with Commission I of the DPR RI at the Senayan Parliament Complex, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 30.

Retno said that Ambassador Marina had been summoned by the Foreign Ministry's Director General for America and Europe, Umar Hadi. "So at that time the Director General of Amerop (European America) had called", he said.

Umar said that the summons to Ambassador Marina last week was intended to express condemnation and disappointment over the burning of the Koran by the Swedish-Danish politician, Rasmus Paludan, in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday, January 21.

"Last week, we summoned the first Swedish Ambassador, of course, to convey condemnation, condemnation; and regret, disappointment over the burning of the Koran by a Swedish-Danish citizen", he said.

In addition, said Umar, during the meeting he asked the Swedish government to ensure that similar provocative events did not happen again.

Meanwhile, he continued, Ambassador Marina carefully noted what was conveyed by the representative of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and affirmed that the burning of the Koran was an unpleasant form of action.

"Secondly, he repeated what his Prime Minister (Ulf Kristersson) had said, that yes, this action was indeed stateful, the main thing was that the action was not good, nobody liked it", he said.

Even though he affirmed that this action was unpleasant, Umar said Ambassador Marina explained that similar actions were not included as a form of violation of law in Sweden.

"Yes, because Sweden is said to guarantee freedom of expression. But I said that freedom of opinion is not without limits", he added.

Umar also explained that Ambassador Marina also conveyed the need for dialogue regarding the understanding of the Islamic religion so that similar incidents would not happen again.

"The Indonesian government is of course always ready if Sweden needs dialogue on the diversity of a pluralistic and inclusive society", he said.

As quoted by the Turkish Anadolu Agency, Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party, burned a book of the Koran with the permission of the government and police protection.

The Swedish government allows the burning of the Koran because it considers this action to be part of freedom of expression and opinion.

The arson occurred during demonstrations against Turkey's demand last week for Sweden to take tough steps against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey considers a terror group.