Parwito, Temanggung – Thousands of tobacco farmers throughout Central Java gathered at the Temanggung regency town square on Monday February 16 to hold a massive protest against the Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) edict (fatwa) against smoking.

The protesters said that if there was no response to their protests, they would hold a campaign to boycott the elections (golput) and not pay taxes.

The demonstration began with a convoy that passed through all of the main areas and streets of Temanggung, after which they gathered at the town square and held speeches.

The action was supported by a number of organisations including the Central Java Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI), the Temanggung regency APTI, Central Java the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI), the Kebumen Tobacco Farmers Group (KTFG), the Purworejo Tobacco Farmers Group (KTTP), the Temanggung branch of the Islamic mass organisation Muhammadiyah, the Temanggung branch of the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama, the Temanggung Market Traders Association (PPPT), the Kokar Joint Forum, the All Indonesia Workers Union (SPSI), the Indonesian Prosperous Labour Union (SBSI), the Klaten APTI, the Magelang APTI, the Wonosobo APTI, the Kendal APTI, the Boyolali APTI, the Semarang APTI, the Banjarnegara APTI and PEKAT.

"We are holding this action of concern and solidarity to oppose the MUI edict policy that states cigarettes are haram (forbidden under Islam) for children, mothers and in pubic places", said action coordinator Nurtanto Wisnu Broto when speaking with Detik.com.

In addition to rejecting the MUI edict on smoking, they also made five other demands including, among others, urging the government not to sign the to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and to end the discussion on the enactment of the draft law on tackling the impact of tobacco on health. (asy/asy)

Notes:

Many Indonesians have a strong cultural affinity with smoking and the January 26 MUI edict against smoking has sparked widespread anger among Indonesian Muslims, many of which smoke. The MUI also issued a fatwa stating that it would be "a moral sin" to golput (abstain from voting) in the legislative and presidential elections this year. The MUI is known to support certain Islamic political parties which in past polls have performed poorly.

[Abridged translation by James Balowski.]