(Bernama) – SUMENEP (East Java): The Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) has called on all Muslims around the world to unite against the “Burn a Quran Day” campaign to commemorate the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in America, Indonesia’s Antara news agency said.

About 50 activists of this conservative Islamic organisation staged a protest in Sumenep, Madura Island, East Java Province, yesterday.

“May Almighty God curse those who have initiated and planned to burn the holy Quran. This is an act of cruel and uncivilised people,” a spokesman of HTI, Faisal, told the crowd of protesters.

To stop this campaign, all Muslims in the world had no choice but to unite to do their best to prevent this from happening on Sept11, Antara quoted him as saying.

“The plan itself has hurt and humiliated Muslims all over the world. Don’t let this happen,” he said.

A HTI-Sumenep chapter activist named Rifki said yesterday’s protest was staged to remind Muslim communities all over the world of this plan to burn the Quran in the US.

“We are sure that our brothers and sisters in Islam will be encouraged to do their best to stop this act. They will, at least, recite prayers for the failure of this act,” he said.

“The people who wanted to burn the Quran in the US wanted to humiliate Muslims.

“This shows that the US does want to declare war on Muslims,” he said.

“The US has always cornered Muslims by saying that Muslims are part of terrorists though that country is actually a terrorist to the Muslims,” he added.

This controversial campaign has not only made Muslims in Indonesia deeply concerned but also stirred uneasiness in American society.

One of the Americans who expressed her worry was Jennifer S Byron.

In her recent article published in Newsweek-Washington Post online, Byron called on American Christians to reject the “Burn a Quran Day”.

She said the “Burn a Quran Day” was the way of a church in Florida to mark the ninth anniversary of the Sept 11 incident.

“So far the Christian response to this in America has been nearly dead silence.”

“The National Association of Evangelicals has issued a press release opposing Burn a Quran Day. This is good, but it is basically just a statement to assure non-Evangelical Christians that Terry Jones does not represent authentic Evangelical Christianity,” Byron said.

The Sept 11, 2001 attacks on American soil were launched by members of the al-Qaeda and killed several thousand people, especially in New York City’s Twin Tower buildings.

Church plans Quran-burning event

International Burn a Quran Day