Aceh Muslims against relief aid from Islamic extremists
Banda Aceh (AsiaNews) In a press release, Aceh's separatist government-in-exile said that Islamic fundamentalists are not welcome in tsunami-stricken Aceh. Their actions are contrary to the teaching of the Qu'ran and the traditional tolerance of local Muslims.
According to government-in-exile's statement released in Sweden, elements of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Indonesia Mujahidin Council (MMI) have arrived in Aceh under the pretext of delivering relief assistance to tsunami-affected populations.
According to the statement, "the introduction of these organizations into Aceh at this most critical time squanders scarce resources by the Indonesian government which [should be] better allocated to the victims of the recent tsunami".
Aceh nationalists insist that the "FPI and MMI are not welcome in Aceh and have never been supported by the Acehnese people, nor has their presence been requested", adding that these groups are responsible for sectarian violence against non Muslims, especially against Christians, in Java and other Indonesian regions.
"The actions and words of both the FPI and MMI are against the teachings of the Holy Qu'ran and the Hadith and contradict the tolerance [. . .] of Acehnese Muslims," the statement read.
What's more, neither group has any credentials or skills in disaster relief, and "their presence is clearly intended as a provocation to the people of Aceh".
For Aceh nationalists the Indonesian government has some blame to bear for it "is wasting valuable funds by assisting these criminal organizations to travel to and stay in Aceh. It [. . .] is cynically intent on causing more chaos for [its] suffering people".
There is also mounting concern over the security of relief operations and NGO staff involved.
During Friday prayers at a Banda Aceh's mosque, Dien Syamsuddin, secretary-general of Indonesia's Ulema Council, said: "We do not want national or foreign NGOs who came ostensibly to provide aid but have in fact come to proselytise".
On January 13, WorldHelp, a Christian humanitarian organisation that helps abandoned children, was told not to house 300 tsunami orphans in its own facilities.
Vernon Brewer, director of WorldHelp, said that "the authorities claim that Aceh children cannot be housed in non Muslin orphanages", hence, the US$ 70,000 raised for tsunami victims will be used for non Muslim orphans. (LF)
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