Stay Away from False Ulema Advocating Conflict: General Gatot

Tarakan, N Kalimantan (Antara Bali) - Military (TNI) Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo warned the TNI soldiers and other components of the nation not to pay attention to men claiming to be ulemas (Islamic religious leaders) but advocating conflict.

"Anyone seeking to split the nation and curse the government are certainly not ulemas although they are dressed as ones. Therefore, stay away from them," the general said when breaking the fast together with Tarakan city administration leaders, 1,000 orphans and around 4,000 soldiers in this North Kalimantan city on Sunday.

Even if they claimed to be ulemas or "kiai", but advocating conflict and enmity they are not Indonesian muslims, he said, adding they might be Indonesian Muslims but they had studied Islam abroad.

"Therefore, if anyone wearing turban claiming to be ulema or kiai, but encouraging conflicts, they are not Indonesian kiai or they might be Indonesian kiai but studied Islam abroad," he said.

Muslims or kais, who are genuinely Indonesians would not want conflict among the people, he said, adding ulama had been hand in hand with the people in bringing the country to independence.

"The history show that the ones fighting for the countrys independence were the Indonesian people, with Muslims the majority. Ulemas seeking to break the national integrity and replace the state ideology Pancasila, they must be false ulemas. According to Islamic teaching a Muslim may not utter insulting words and set one against the other," the four star general said. (*)