Indonesia: Islam's Deadly Divide

Video journalist David O’Shea reports on a violent mob attack on a house in Java, which left three people dead, as police stood by doing virtually nothing.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: SBS One | Dateline
By SBS | April 21, 2011

Followers of a religious community in Indonesia are coming under increasingly violent attack from hardline Muslims.

Ahmadiyah members controversially believe an Indian who lived in the late 19th century was the Messiah that Jesus and Muhammad promised would come.

But since the government banned them from spreading their faith in 2008, they’ve increasingly been seen as a deviant sect of Islam and the attacks have intensified.

Video journalist David O’Shea reports on a violent mob attack on a house in Java, which left three people dead, as police stood by doing virtually nothing.

He also sits in on a parliamentary hearing, which is supposed to be seeking a solution, but instead many of the politicians mock the Ahmadiyah faith; and he speaks to cleric Abu Bakar Ba'ashir, who's facing another terrorism trial and is forthright on his views against Ahmadiyah.

The increasing division is causing particular concern for human rights groups, who ask which other religious minorities could be next.

WATCH a preview of this week's show, airing on Sunday 24th April at 8.30pm on SBS ONE, which will feature David's report. It will also be available online later that evening.



Read original post here: Indonesia: Islam's Deadly Divide