Jakarta – An alliance of 12 non-governmental organizations has demanded the revision of Jakarta's new public order bylaw, saying it opposes pluralism.

Jakarta for All Alliance, whose members include the Jurnal Perempuan Foundation, Kalyanamitra, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute and the Association of Indonesian Women for Justice, has rejected the bylaw saying it marginalizes people and limits their activities, especially the poor.

Some articles discriminate the sick, women, non-Muslims, those in the informal sector and people who prefer traditional medical treatment, Rena Hardianti from the alliance said in a public discussion Tuesday titled "Jakarta public order bylaw threatens your life".

Rena said many people were still unaware of the content of the bylaw's articles and thought that it only affected the poor.

Article 46 stipulates that keeping alcoholic beverages is prohibited without permission from authorities, while Article 31 says anyone or any organization that runs a restaurant or a food stall should first obtain halal certification.

"Note that the articles refer to anyone. So what if someone keeps a beer in their refrigerator? Or what if a vendor sells pork? Should he or she just use a halal label and lie to buyers?" said activist Yenni Rosa Damayanti.

Asfinawati, director of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, also said the bylaw contradicted the Constitution and other higher-level regulations.

As an example, she said, those who ordered others to work as beggars could be jailed from 20 to 90 days, as stipulated in article 40, while the anti-trafficking law carries higher sanctions; up to several years in jail. "So, those who should actually be punished for years in jail could get a lighter punishment," she said.

The bylaw was passed by the City Council on Sept. 10 and is currently being disseminated to the public before it takes effect in January.

The public discussion was interrupted by two public order officers who continued to interject when Yoseph Adi Prasetyo, from the National Commission on Human Rights, highlighted articles he said violated people's basic rights.

Ahmad Wahid Supandi, secretary of the Commission A on administration of the City Council, asked the alliance to read the bylaw thoroughly. "Please read the additional explanation, don't just highlight parts of the bylaw," he told the audience.

Jurnal P. Siahaan, head of the legal bureau at the city administration, denied the bylaw did not respect human rights. "In fact, we want to protect human rights through the bylaw," he said. (dia)

Sections of highlighted articles

Article 31 line 3: Individuals or organizations that run restaurants are obliged to display a halal label. – The alliance highlights the word "anyone", questioning whether people who sell non-halal foods should lie and just use the halal label.

Article 46: Individuals or organizations are not allowed to keep alcoholic beverages without permission from the authorities. – Not even for personal consumption?

Article 47: Individuals or organizations are prohibited from organizing or performing any type of traditional medical treatment or mysticism without permission from the Governor or an appointed official. – What about traditional treatments like prana (the use of inner power in martial arts to cure diseases) or Chinese chikung and acupuncture?

Article 41: Those suffering from a disease that causes discomfort to the public, such as leprosy and mental illness, are banned from public spaces. – The sick should not be discriminated against.

[Source: Jakarta For All Alliance.]