REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chairman of the Indonesian Mosque Managers' Forum (Fahmi Tamami) Rhoma Irama appealed to all Muslims in Indonesia to not be provoked by the incident that occurred on Friday in Tolikara, Papua.

"I call on all Muslims to not be provoked by the incident in Tolikara," Irama affirmed here on Monday.

According to Irama, the Islamic doctrine teaches both tolerance and respect for other religions to create unity.

In the context of the nation, he emphasized that all people should be able to realize and maintain religious harmony without making distinctions with regard to culture, language, and religion.

"Therefore, Muslims and Christians should not be provoked in a bid to maintain religious harmony," Irama stated.

In connection with the Tolikara incident, he also urged the government to stringently enforce the laws.

"The Tolikara incident must be handled properly, so that religious harmony can be maintained," he remarked.

Furthermore, he urged the government to provide relief to the victims and rebuild the mosque that had been burnt down.

Earlier, a spokesman for the XVIII/Cendrawasih Regional Military Command that oversees Papua noted here on Saturday that reports on a house of prayer being burnt down in Tolikara district on Friday were untrue.

"Based on the results of the meeting initiated by the chiefs of the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command and the Papua Regional Police Command in Tolikara on Saturday morning, it was learnt that no mushola (Islamic house of prayer) had been burnt down by the local people," Lieutenant Colonel Teguh P. R., the spokesman, stated here on Saturday evening.

He added that the statement was issued to clarify rumors that had been spreading in the community and on social media platforms, as well as news reports that a mushola had been set on fire.

"Reports on a mushola being burnt down are not true. After the regional military commander and the regional police chief inspected the scene, it was found that the fire first burnt down kiosks before spreading to a mushola," Teguh explained.

"Regional Military Commander Major General Fransen G. Siahaan has expressed readiness to help enforce the law after accurate data is collected," he pointed out.

He further noted that the commander was committed to handling the case in an expeditious and integrated manner.

"The TNI (military), along with the police and other national institutions, including the affected Muslims and members of GIDI (Evangelical Church in Indonesia), will rebuild the mushola, kiosks, and homes that were burnt down. The regional military commander will also help gather used clothes and food and deliver them to the location by helicopter," Teguh affirmed.

Moreover, Chief of the Regional Police Command Inspector General Yotje Mende and the Cendrawasih Military Command chief held a mediation meeting at the house of the Tolikara district head in Karubaga.

The meeting was also attended by the deputy chief of the Regional Police Command, deputy head of the district, chief of the Tolikara district police, the GIDI president, as well as community, traditional, and youth figures along with those affected by the fire.

In addition, Teguh remarked that the regional police chief of Papua condemned the incident.

"The regional police chief also stated that the police will carry out its duties of ensuring security as well as mediating and enforcing the law. The case will be handled in an integrated manner, and an inventory of the losses incurred will also be made," he said.

After the meeting, the regional military commander and the chief of the Papuan regional police issued directives to the members of GIDI, which is attended by hundreds of people of the Tolikara community.

"In its directives, the Papuan regional police chief made assurance that the problem will be handled well, and sanctions will be imposed on those found guilty, including police officers," he emphasized.

Furthermore, the Cendrawasih military commander appealed to the community members to remain calm and not be easily provoked.

"As people who believe in God, we must maintain peace, especially in Tolikara," he stressed.

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