Jakarta, wahidinstitute.org
Muslims in Moro, the Philippines, suffer from poverty due to economic and political marginalization.
“Muslims in Moro are second class citizens,” said Dr Amina Rasul, former minister in Fidel Ramos’ cabinet in the Philippines, who spoke in the discussion “Muslim Minorities in Secular States: The Indian and Philippine Experience”.
The discussion was held at the WAHID Institute, Thursday (14/08/08). The other keynote speaker was Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer from India.
In the journey toward the truth, people tend to take the easy tack. The easiest way is to treat religion as an heirloom inherited from our ancient predecessors; to treat religion as a set of doctrines that have clear-cut boundaries or, more precisely, boundary (in a singular form). The easiest way to be in the way of being “religionist” is to follow the well-trodden path of the predecessors without daring to ask or challenge. To question what has been laid down as doctrines by our pious predecessors is tantamount to an act of heresy.
Di kala kegundahan ku semakin meradang, aku tak tahu harus menjadikan hidup ini apa. Usaha telah mendekati titik kulminasi. Entah jadi apa keringat yang selama ini aku peras hingga tetes terakhir. Dan tampaknya sudah hampir kering. Aku berharap akan ada yang teduhkan jalan ku, namun sampai aku melemah, mentari masih terlalu bebas menghujam tubuh ku.
Sepertinya terlalu jauh aku memusatkan pandangan ku. Pasir dan kerikil mencengkram kaki ku, seakan melarang ku untuk melanjutkan mimpi. Kapan aku bisa menghirup udara pagi, sementara ku rasakan selalu mentari di atas kepala ku. Sesekali aku menghela nafasku yang semakin pendek, namun sesekali pula aku membuang pandangan ku kearah yang tak pernah aku lihat selama ini.
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