Hard-liners promise no raids ahead of Ramadhan

The Jakarta Post, Semarang Thu, July 05 2012


Hard-line group the Thoriqotul Jihad Front (FTJ) in Semarang, Central Java, has promised not to conduct any raids ahead of Ramadhan, saying it will leave the fight against vice to the police.

“We chose to remind the Semarang Police in writing to be extra vigilant in the fight against vice during Ramadhan,” FTJ secretary Zainal Abidin said in Semarang on Tuesday.

The FTJ also called on members of hard-line group the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) across Central Java to do the same and avoid taking to the streets. “The FTJ is very close to the FPI, that is why we have called on them to refrain from sweeping,” Zainal said.

Zainal called on the government and security apparatus to be firm on entertainment spots so as not to disturb Muslims performing their obeisances during the fasting month.

He expressed hope that people would not mar the holy month with vice. “Entertainment spots may operate, but please operate in the spirit of tolerance and respect,” he said.

Zainal said that red-light districts such as the notorious Sunan Kuning in Semarang should be closed down during Ramadhan.

Griya Asa Sunan Kuning coordinator Ari Istiadi said that the red-light district would indeed be closed down during the fasting month in a bid to avoid any tension in the community. “We plan to completely close down [during Ramadhan] this year,” said Ari, who is also security coordinator of the area.

He said that based on previous experience, as a measure to avoid misunderstanding and show respect to fasting Muslims, the red-light district had decided to close down during Ramadhan. Semarang is actually very liberal with regard to prostitution and previously no special security measure had been necessary.

“This is also to educate the commercial sex workers here and improve their faith,” said Ari.

Meanwhile, secretary of the Central Java branch of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Ahmad Rofiq, called on mass and religious organizations to refrain from vigilante raids.

He said vice eradication was under the authority of the security apparatus. He also said that no violence, for whatever reason, could be justified in the name of religion.

“This is no longer the era of violent raids because such activities can only harm particular groups of community,” he said.

The Jakarta Globe, July 09, 2012


A human rights activist questioned on Sunday the police’s ability or willingness to stop hard-line groups from raiding nightclubs and restaurants during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, saying that history was not on the side of the police.

“So the question is, do the police have consistency in this matter?” said Bonar Tigor Naipospos, deputy chairman of the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace. “The police should act quickly if there are still raids happening.”

Bonar said that under the leadership of the previous National Police chief, Bambang Hendarso Danuri, the police were able to stop raids by radical groups during the fasting month.

But, he said, the force has been much more permissive under Bambang’s successor, Timur Pradopo.

Before he was appointed head of the National Police in 2010, Timur told a legislative vetting committee that he had close ties with the hard-line group the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).

The FPI is notorious for its vigilante raids and acts of violence against groups and places it considers “un-Islamic,” including nightclubs, stores selling alcohol and musical and dance performances, particularly during Ramadan.

“It depends on the chief,” Bonar said. “And we have noticed that [Timur] lets radical groups [hold raids].”

He said everyone should understand that closing all restaurants, for instance, during the fasting month was not needed or wanted, pointing out that not everyone fasts. “Why should they all be closed? This is not an Islamic country,” he said.

He mentioned an example in Makassar, South Sulawesi, last year where a food stall was ransacked by local FPI members. The stall, Bonar said, had already covered its windows out of respect for those fasting, but that was not enough for the FPI, and people were hurt in the raid.

“We should never let these kinds of things happen,” he said.

Bonar’s remarks came after about 1,000 people in Bogor demanded a hotel, accused of being used as a brothel, be closed during Ramadan.

“If the government is unable [to close down the hotel] we will close it ourselves,” said a local community leader, Ayip Rasidi. “Shortly, Muslims will begin the holy month of Ramadan. I am asking that this prostitution den be closed before Ramadan is here.”