Hidayat Nur: Islam is not opposed to democracy

President of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nur Wahid underlined Saturday in Algiers that Islam is not opposed to democracy and those who advocate liberty and pluralism in various fields.

• During a conference held at the Council of Nation about the theme of "Islam and democracy: Experiences in Indonesia," in the presence of the Council's chairman Abdelkader Bensalah, and several intellectuals and politicians, Hidayat pointed out that "we can not distinguish between Islam and democracy" for the "close" relation linking them. Speaker recalled the stages of Indonesia's experience, adding that his country’s government “has resolved the issue concerning relation between Islam and democracy.”
• Ennaharonline/aps