Intellectuals and activists on Monday agreed to set up a fact-finding team to probe Christmas Eve bombings in Indonesia, and called for an end to open hostility between religious communities.
The forum, organized by the Indonesian Transparency Society and chaired by former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad, agreed to form the team as a reflection of the society's commitment to dealing with the problem, the state Antara news agency said.
Munir (Eds: one name), the head of the board of advisors of the Committee for Victims of Violence and Missing Persons, said the fact-finding team should provide a check and control on police efforts in uncovering the bombers.
"We hope this case can be uncovered to its roots and (that we can find) who is responsible for the bombings," Munir said of the blasts which killed at least 14 and injured 95 in eight cities.
Previous bomb attacks, including incidents at Jakarta's grand Istiqlal mosque and at the Stock Exchange building, have gone unsolved. A number of suspects have been arrested but none have been prosecuted.
"We are calling on all religious leaders, especially Muslims and Christians, to use all their influence so that the people do not fall into the trap and escalate conflicts between religious communities," noted economist and former environment and population minister Emil Salim said.
"We just cannot imagine what (it would be like) if a religious conflict such as in the Malukus were to take place on a national scale. Therefore I ask, don't fall to provocation," Muslim intellectual Nurcholis Majid said.
Majid was referring to the devastating two years of sectarian conflict opposing Muslims and Christians in the eastern Indonesian Maluku islands that has left over 5,000 people killed, more than half-a million refugees and massive destruction.
Majid also called on the media to refrain from carrying inflammatory statements that could worsen the situation.
Roman Catholic intellectual, Father Frans Magnis Suseno, said it was unimaginable that religious interests were behind the bombings.
"To my Christian brothers, Catholic or Protestant, I call once again for you to close your ranks with those from other religions, especially Muslims who in two days are going to celebrate (the Muslim holiday of) Eid-al-Fitr. They are not at all involved in those incidents," Suseno said.
The forum also agreed to open a round-the-clock information center to help control wild rumors.
On Christmas Eve 18 bombs exploded at churches or priests' homes in eight cities and towns including the capital. A further 15 bombs were found and defused in two cities on Sunday.
The blasts took place in Simalungun in North Sumatra, in Pekanbaru and Batam in the central Sumatra province of Riau, in Jakarta, in Bandung and Sukabumi in West Java, in Mojokerto in East Java and in Mataram in West Nusatenggara.
Thirteen bombs sent to priests in Medan, North Sumatra, and two in Jakarta were successfully defused.
The forum was attended by more than a dozen well-known Indonesian intellectuals, activists and politicians -- JAKARTA (AFP)
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