Ambassador: Indonesia Committed To Safeguard Security Of Shiites

Tehran, Dec 17, IRNA – Indonesian Ambassador to Tehran Dian Wirengjurit said his government felt committed to guarantee security of Shiite community in the country. Talking to IRNA on Monday, he commented on the recent developments met by the Indonesian Shiite community in recent months. He said the problems caused for them never meant targeted attacks or pre-planned suppression of them, stressing that the Indonesian government, particularly the president, felt committed to safeguard security of all minorities including the Shiites. Expressing sorrow over occurrence of such incidents, he believed the events were due to a number of tribal and group differences. He further stressed that Indonesian government has no problem with the Shiite Muslims living in the country and paid due respect to them as a part its people. The ambassador explained that in the past few months some clashes occurred between a group of Muslims with the minority Shiite community in Java which were rooted just in tribal and ethnic differences. He said the clashes should never be interpreted as religious disputes and pressuring the Shiite minority. While the Indonesian government is working on the issue to find solutions to the problem, certain groups which see their profits secured by triggering and flaming the clashes embarked on new violence resulting in killing one or two of the Shiites, the ambassador added. He said the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned him in the past days to hear his explanations on recurrence of such events in Indonesia. With 240 million population, Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country. Some 40 percent of the population are Muslims./end