Indonesia’s Shiite minority feels the heat

Foreign Policy ^ | 7 Sep 2012 | endy bayuni

[Cronos]

For decades, members of Indonesia's Shiite Muslim minority have led a somewhat secluded but peaceful life. Everyone knew of their existence in Indonesia, but no one was going around asking about their faith and practices -- and they didn't go around flaunting their religious identity either.

Most Muslims in Indonesia were not aware of their Sunni identity. They could not even tell the difference between Shiite and Sunni, or understand the historic deep-seated enmity that has split Muslims in other parts of the world. The majority of Muslims in Indonesia may follow the Sunni teachings, but many of their daily practices resemble the Shiite traditions, such as the way they pay homage for dead relatives..

The peace and tranquility between Islam's two main denominations in Indonesia has now been shattered. The Shiite followers, an estimated three million strong scattered throughout the Indonesian archipelago, are rapidly becoming a persecuted minority in Indonesia. They join a growing list of religious groups that now face constant harassment and abuse, not so much by the state as by radical Islamic groups.

In the East Java district of Sampang, two Shiite followers were slain and dozens injured when a mob attacked a convoy of cars carrying Shiite families taking their children back to school after the long Ramadan and Eid break in August. The mob followed up this brutal act with an attack on a nearby Shiite village, burning down houses and mosques, chasing out the inhabitants, and forcing many to flee to the forests

..The attacks on religious minorities, and now increasingly with fatal consequences, led to one observer describing the trend as the "Pakistanization" of Indonesia. The targets are not only religions outside Islam, but sects within the religion or those that had evolved out of Islam.

[Cronos]

Sunni-Shia war spreading.. Bahrain, Syria, Iraq, Saudia, Pakistan, Indonesia

[MeganC]

Muslims killing muslims. Nothing bad can come of this.

[dirtymac]

Ah! The religion of peace is at it again, are they? What are those wily little muslims up to now? I bet if we just had them over to the White House for beer, then we could just talk things out and get things back to normal. Like killing Christians and Jews.

[null and void]

May both sides have a long, bitter and successful campaign.

[Sherman Logan]

Muslims killing muslims. Nothing bad can come of this.

Sure it can. This is merely a side effect of the worldwide radicalization of Muslims.

Radicalized Muslims don't limit themselves to attacking heretical Muslims. In all likelihood they prefer Christians, Jews, Buddhists and others as targets when available.

[1010RD]

Carter started all this and now Obama/Hilary are simply adding to the carnage. We should scrap the entire State Department, cut it back to 100 political appointees and the number of ambassadors needed and start fresh.