Murder in the Name of God - An Indonesian Atrocity

LONDON, February 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Ahmadi Muslims Outraged as Frenzied Mob Massacres Villagers in Indonesia

The UK Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is demanding a full inquiry of the 6th February attack in Indonesia where a murderous mob of some 1,000 people, brandishing machetes, spears, knives and other weapons, publicly murdered three members of the community and injured five others.

They will lobby the UK and Indonesian governments to investigate the brutal and unprovoked attack. They are calling for Indonesia's authorities to forcefully tackle the rising tide of extremism in the country where Ahmadi Muslims and Christians are increasingly being targeted.

This is the latest in a series of events in which Ahmadi Muslims have been targeted solely on grounds of faith and another terrible result of the 2008 Joint Ministerial Decree that declared Ahmadis as a 'deviant' sect and banned it from preaching. This decree has been repeatedly used by extremists to attack and persecute Ahmadi Muslims who will press the Indonesian Government to revoke this decree and provide full protection to Ahmadi Muslims from such savage attacks.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, based in London, said:

"This horrific attack has caused grief and pain to all Ahmadi Muslims worldwide and indeed to all peace loving people. The barbarity of the perpetrators knows no bounds; indeed people watching the merciless beatings were clapping and cheering.

"The local police and authorities failed to protect the Ahmadi Muslims and allowed them to be exposed to this cruel and brutal attack. Whenever such attacks occur, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat both in Indonesia and worldwide always displays patience and seeks solace not in revenge or violence but through prayers to God Almighty."

Rafiq Hayat, National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK added:

"The Indonesian Government must comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to provide complete freedom of religion for Ahmadi Muslims and indeed all of its citizens.

"Ahmadi Muslims are devoted to peace. We reject all forms of violence, hatred, coercion or compulsion carried out in the name of religion. It is therefore repugnant to us and all good natured people that extremists who have deemed these values to be 'heretical' or 'deviant' have then brutally murdered innocent Ahmadi Muslims in the name of Islam.

"These extremists will continue to spread mayhem and murder and will target all minorities and anyone who crosses them. They must be stopped before they hold the country to ransom. The Indonesian Government must revoke its ministerial decree that is being used by extremists to target and kill Ahmadis"

Ahmadi Muslims believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the greatest prophet who brought the last and complete religion of Islam. They accept the Promised Messiah, as foretold by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), has already come -but non-Ahmadi Muslims say the Promised Messiah is yet to come and still await his advent.

The attack occurred in Cikeusik, south of Banten in Indonesia, where the Ahmadi Muslims consist of 30 people from 7 families. They had been receiving threats and demands to revoke their Ahmadiyya Muslim beliefs. When opposition grew, 20 members from neighbouring communities started coming for security duty of the premises.

Those who died were:

Tubaqus Chandra Mubarak, 34, who leaves behind a 5-months pregnant widow

Ahmad Warsono, 38, survived by a widow and 4 children

Roni Pesarani, 35, married with two daughters

The attack occurred even though police had been forewarned for a number of days about an imminent attack on the local Ahmadi Muslims.

    
    Contact

    Basharat Nazir, Press Secretary
    Baitul Futuh Mosque, 181 London Road, Morden, United Kingdom
    Phone: +44-7703-483-384
    Email: media@ahmadiyya.org.uk

    Web: http://www.loveforallhatredfornone.org
    Web: http://www.alislam.org