Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Thousands of Muslims in Medan, North Sumatra, performed Friday prayers outdoor at the location of a demolished mosque.
The Al Ikhlas mosque was torn down by the Indonesian Military (TNI) on May 4 to make way for a housing complex.
The first Friday prayer following the demolition of the mosque was tightly secured by the police. The majority of worshipers came from a number of Islamic organizations, including the Muslim Forum (FUI). The congregation was led by FUI secretary-general Muhammad Khattab, a preacher from Jakarta.
North Sumatra chapter FUI head Indra Suhairi said Friday prayers would continuously be performed at the demolition site until TNI re-erected the demolished mosque. He said it was a protest form over the military's move.
"We will continue performing Friday prayers here despite the demolition of the Al Ikhlas mosque.
The mosque was owned by Muslims and the TNI had no right to tear it down," Indra told reporters after the prayers. They moved from the prayer site to the North Sumatra legislative building to protest further.
When reached for confirmation on Friday, Bukit Barisan Military Command spokeswoman Maj. Siti Fatimah expressed regret that Muslims had performed their prayers along the road next to the demolished mosque, which caused traffic congestion.
Fatimah said that the Al Ikhlas mosque was part of the military command's property. She confirmed that the mosque was torn down by TNI because it had reached a land swap deal in 2009 with developer PT Ganda Reksa Mulya.
"The Al Ikhlas mosque was demolished by members of the Bukit Barisan Military Command because it was our own property. Nobody has the right to prevent us from tearing it down," Fatimah told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Fatimah said the military command had planned the demolition for a long time. Before the demolition, she added, the TNI had asked for consideration from leaders at the TNI headquarters in Jakarta. "The leaders at the TNI headquarters supported our efforts to demolish the mosque," she said.
Fatimah added that the Bukit Barisan Military Command had provided Rp 700 million (about US$81,900) in compensation to Muslims.
"We handed over the funds to Muslims, facilitated by the Indonesian Ulema Council and Islamic organizations. It is up to them as to what they do with the money, whether they want to build a mosque again or donate it to Muslims currently building mosques," said Fatimah.
After meeting with Bukit Barisan Military chief Brig. Gen. Murdjito, Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said the demolition was no problem, given the fact that the land belonged to the state.
Murdjito said it had provided a plot of land for the new construction of the mosque, located at Namorambe, Deli Serdang regency.