Islamists don’t take no for an answer.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia or PMI in Indonesian) will never change the traditional logo that has made it famous around the world. The statement came following criticism from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), an Islamist party that says that the symbol of a red cross is too easily identifiable with Christian culture and traditions.

Red Cross volunteers and activists reject the claim, saying that any changes to the logo are tantamount to giving in to the extremists. For former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, the demand is baseless.

PMI executive member Muhammad Muas said the logo was agreed to in the Geneva Convention of 1949, which Indonesia “officially ratified” and must respect.

The symbol is unrelated to Christianity. “Indonesia is a secular, not a Muslim-based state,” he explained. It “is a state that respects pluralism”.

Some experts suggest that the demand to change the PMI symbol stems from the PKS’s desire to link the Indonesian Red Cross to the Islamic Red Crescent.