Jakarta – Several Muslim leaders claiming to represent Utan Kayu residents in East Jakarta told district officials late on Tuesday to evict the Liberal Islam Network (JIL) from the area before the beginning of Ramadhan in early October.
As district officials were holding a dialog with representatives of the Utan Kayu Community at the Al-Muslimun mosque – about five minutes walk from JIL's headquarters – mosque leader Ustadz Syafruddin Tandjung took the floor and at least 100 people shouted their desire to see JIL forced to leave the area.
"They asked the district leaders to solve the matter before the beginning of Ramadhan and said that there was no need for further dialog," recounted Radio 68H production director Heru Hendratmoko, who also attended Tuesday's meeting.
It was not immediately clear what would happen if JIL was still operating by the beginning of the fasting month, which will start on Oct. 5.
Rumors have been simmering that some Muslim extremist groups would attack JIL, which is headed by noted Muslim scholar Ulil Absar Abdala. Ulil recently went to the United States to begin a doctoral course.
The Utan Kayu Community complex, where JIL is located, also houses several other institutions, including Galeri Lontar, the Institute for the Studies on the Free Flow of Information (ISAI) and private radio station Radio 68H.
Hard-line Muslim elements have been pushing for the eviction of JIL since the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued its much-criticized fatwa banning liberal concepts of Islam, secularism and pluralism in July.
However, JIL members were not invited to Tuesday's meeting and were not given a chance to speak at a similar meeting held last Sunday.
Previously, Heru said, religious activists at the Al-Muslimun mosque accused ISAI, Radio 68H and Galeri Lontar of being under the JIL umbrella for similarly promoting liberal Islam, secularism and pluralism.
Eventually, the right-wing Islamist groups began calling for the eviction of JIL. A bulletin board in front of the mosque displayed the MUI edicts, as well as accusations against JIL.
Tandjung and 27 other mosque leaders in the area, claimed that JIL had been outlawed as a result of the MUI fatwa and their very existence was thus causing the "locals to become restless".
Despite his claims, several residents in the area said that they were not fully aware of the issue and did not feel a bit restless until Tuesday's meeting.
"We just recently heard that JIL has a different opinion to that of the Muslims," explained Dina, who lives just two houses from the mosque. "But, basically, we are not bothered by it. It has nothing to do with our daily routines."
Last month, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) had reportedly planned to attack the JIL office, but that fizzled out as the building was tightly guarded by police officers. Prominent lawyers Todung Mulya Lubis, Nono Anwar Makarim and Adnan Buyung Nasution serve as JIL's legal representatives. "However, we do not think legal action against them would do us any good. It is just a precaution," said one of the JIL founders, Nong Darol Mahmada.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Ustadz Tandjung, who had planned to visit JIL's headquarters to verify the group's legal standing and other documents, failed to turn up.
The Utan Kayu Community continues to strive to give support to JIL and any threat against them. "This is more than just taking a stand for what we believe, this is a threat to the freedom of thought and expression in this country," Heru said.