The pressure to stop the operation of a Muslim hard line group has mounted in Indonesia, following the attacks by members of the organization against the interfaith activists during the celebration of religious freedom and unity on Sunday.
More than 20 people were wounded when hundreds of people organized by the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith for the celebration were attacked by members of the Islamic Defenders' Front, known as FPI.
The violence has triggered anger and condemnation by mass organizations, rights group, lawmakers, students and foreign representatives in the country.
Some members of the Alliance are moderate, such as former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as Gus Dur.
In East Java province, the strongest base of supporters of the former president, hundreds of his supporters came to the office of the group, demanding the dismissal of the group.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned the strikes and led a security and political meeting to take a stern action against the group.
In the parliament, lawmakers asked the government on Tuesday todisband the group, which they say only wearing the Islamic clothes but ignoring the implementation of the true rules of Islam and the law.
"The violence on Sunday only add the records of the group's violence in front of the public," said a member of the parliament, Eva K Sundari, at the parliament.
The head of the country's Islamic Students Union or PMII, Rodly Kelani, said that the attacks during the celebration of the birthday of the country's principle of life (Pancasila) showed a poor implementation of the religious teachings.
"We condemn the strikes and attacks by the FPI members," he said.
"The way of reaching a goal by brutality must be stopped," said Kerlani.
The U.S. embassy in Jakarta also expressed disagreement against the violence on Sunday.
In a press statement from the embassy, the U.S. government asked to uphold the freedom of having religion.
"The U.S. embassy condemns the violence against a peace action on Sunday," it said.
Indonesian National Police Chief General Sutanto said on Tuesday that a legal action was to be charged against those from any sides who were against the law.
The country's security chief minister Widodo Adi Sucipto said on Tuesday the government was considering to disband the group.
"We should not only see this problem as a violent action, but as something that may tarnish our country's civilization," Widodo said.
Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country with some 87 percent of its 240 million population are Muslims.
Source:Xinhua
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