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April 21, 2008

Canadian Muslim Community Condemns Violation of Religious Freedom and Confiscation of Property

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 21 /CNW/ - Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Canada expresses grave concern regarding the recommendation of the Islamic Cleric Council in Indonesia to ban the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. News reports indicate that an Indonesian government team is drafting a decree that will ban the Ahmadiyya sect. If adopted by the Indonesian Government, such an act would result in the violation of the constitutional right to freedom of religion of the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and result in the seizing of mosques and other religious properties.

The members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Indonesia are law-abiding and peaceful, having lived in Indonesia for decades in accordance with their motto “Love for All, Hatred for None”. A recent report by the CBC noted that, despite this long history of peaceful existence, the recent violence and civil unrest has been instigated and orchestrated by religious extremists hailing from outside of Indonesia, primarily from Pakistan and the Middle East. In other words, the lack of peace in Indonesia is being instigated by non-Indonesians who advocate violating the Indonesian constitution.

The religious extremists who advocate the violation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s religious and constitutional rights do so on the basis of the latter’s belief in the prophethood of its founder, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) of Qadian, India. However, the belief in his subordinate prophethood is not only in keeping with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an but prophesied by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The holding of such a belief is well within the constitutional rights of the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Indonesia.

The adoption of the recommendation of the Council would indicate that the Indonesian Government and its law enforcement are incapable of guaranteeing the safety, security and constitutional rights and freedoms of peaceful and law-abiding citizens. Such appeasement necessarily threatens and compromises the rights and freedoms of all peaceful and law-abiding citizens leaving them vulnerable to attack or to the instigation of attack by religious extremists at any time. History has shown that where religious extremists are appeased, eventually, the erosion of constitutional freedoms inevitably results. Therefore, the Indonesian Government is urged to resist the pressures exerted by religious extremists and to continue to uphold the constitutional right to freedom of religion in Indonesia.

For further information: on the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Canada visit: www.ahmadiyya.ca or www.alislam.org; Media Contact: Farhan Khokhar, Director -Communications, (416) 716-2247, fkhokhar@Ahmadiyya.ca

Source: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2008/21/c7489.html