Grattis Indonesien !

In a sign of its growing prominence,

Indonesia’s Council of Ulemas moved

its headquarters from the basement

of a major mosque here into an expensive

new office tower in the heart of downtown.
The council was established in 1975 as a

quasi-governmental body of Muslim

scholars by Suharto, the country’s leader

for three decades, partly as a tool to keep

politically minded Islamic organizations

in check.

But in the decade since the dictator’s fall,

the group — whose leaders have increasingly

espoused a radical form of Islam — has

worked to establish itself as an assertive

political force.

**
The group, known as M.U.I., built an

impressive network of offices throughout

the country, staffed by people who promote

the council’s view of Islam.

It logged its first major political success

this summer when the government

agreed to severely restrict the activities

of a Muslim sect that does not believe

that Muhammad was the last prophet.

**
Advocates of religious tolerance worry

that the council’s new clout could signal

the start of religious radicalization in a

country known for its moderate brand of Islam.
“Islamists use the M.U.I. as a major base of

operations, coordinating support for the

Islamist agenda,” said Holland Taylor,

founder of LibForAll Foundation, an

American and Indonesian non-

governmental group that promotes

religious pluralism.
Among the goals of some prominent

council members is the imposition of

Shariah, or Islamic law, throughout

traditionally secular Indonesia.

****

Läs artikeln i NYT