Jakarta – Activists have once again blamed the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for not doing enough to rein in radical groups in the country that have graduated from harassing minority groups with impunity to becoming a scourge of free speech.
Pluralism activist Ahmad Suaedy of the Wahid Institute said that the lack of conviction from the President in dealing with radical elements in the country had allowed groups like the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) to harass minority groups and silence activists who defend minority rights.
"I think the government has leadership problems. [These] people know that the President always has doubts and has little courage to take action. This rubs off on officers in the field, who in turn take a hands-off approach. If he sticks with this type of leadership, things will only take a turn for the worse," he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
On Friday night, police in South Jakarta broke up a discussion in Salihara that featured Canadian writer Irshad Manji.
The Pasar Minggu police precinct chief announced that Manji's book launch had to be halted because it lacked a permit to hold an event involving a foreign national.
The chief also cited residents' opposition to the author and her background as a lesbian activist among the reasons behind the event's termination.
By halting the discussion, the police had apparently bowed to pressure from members of FPI, who picketed the Salihara Cultural Center hours before the discussion took place.
FPI spokesman Munarman said that his group called for the halting of the discussion because of Manji's promotion of lesbianism.
"We don't mind her sexuality as long as she keeps it to herself. However, as she decides to spread her views [that Islam should accept homosexuality], it is a different story," Munarman told the Post on Saturday.
Munarman, a former activist at the Legal Aid Institute (LBH), said that local residents, who happened to be FPI members, rejected Manji because of her views on the compatibility between Islam and homosexuality.
He insisted that the Muslim community was not the only group who rejected Manji's viewpoint, saying that "not a single religion in the world endorses lesbianism or homosexuality." "If there are people who support lesbianism and homosexuality, they are sick people," he said.
The Jakarta Police denied that they acted on behalf of the FPI. Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said that the police decided to stop the event because its organizers lacked the permit to hold the discussion, which was necessary as the event was a public event and involved a foreign national.
Rikwanto said the Jakarta Police took full responsibility for its action. "The reports [that the FPI conducted a crackdown on the event] were concocted by the media. In fact, only around 20 [FPI] members were present," he added.
Manji held another session on Sunday at the office of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta branch in Kalibata, with the protection of members of Banser NU, the youth wing of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama.
Manji, who praised the organizers' courage and what she called "progressive Indonesians", said that she considered writing a book discussing the situation in the country.
"I have one experience [or] two experiences... but I decided to not write it immediately after the tour. I will have to talk to more people. Give me one year," she said, adding that Indonesia is a perfect model of pluralistic Islam in the real world.
Contacted separately, Muslim scholar Komaruddin Hidayat, rector of the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University said that the government should do more to rein in firebrand groups in society.
"This is very dangerous. We're like living in the jungle without law. The government is afraid of groups, especially those with religious symbols," he said. (sat) (fzm) (asa)