Ahmadiyah As A New Religion?

Can it really all be that simple?

Can it really be as simple as the Ahmadis standing up and saying, "OK, we are a new religion", and "please leave us alone"?

If you were prepared to accept the word of Priyo Budi Santoso, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member of Golkar, then it is. It would seem that the Democrat Party of SBY is also suggesting that the establishment of a new religion will resolve the violence, the murder, and the mayhem. Well, at least, this is what Imran Muchtar is saying.

However, if the recent attacks on churches in Temanggung is anything to go by, then declaring a new religion is hardly going to be a cure for the violence being perpetrated against the Ahmadis. If mobs can go on the rampage and burn churches because a Christian man does not get the death sentence for blaspheming Islam, then this clearly does not bode well for the Ahmadis.

The Ahmadis are a sect of Islam. Perhaps not a sect that is accepted as being mainstream, but a sect all the same. If they were to branch off and call themselves a new religion this hardly resolves the issue. The core beliefs of the Ahmad remain Islamic in nature. The reality is that even if the Ahmadis were to spin themselves off from mainstream Islam, they remain Islamic in nature. For example, when King Henry VIII decided that the Catholic Church was becoming less agreeable and accepting of his needs, he decided to create a spin-off of the Roman Catholic Church and call it the Church of England.

Now, the Church of England is Christian in its orientation and beliefs. There are a few Virgin Mary issues as I understand it, but to all intents and purposes it is a Christian belief system, a Christian church. So, it does not really matter whether you are Catholic, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Church of England, Protestant, Mormon or Quaker there is an argument to be made that these are all sects of the Christian faith. It would also seem reasonable to me that even if the Ahmadis were to separate from mainstream Islam and declare themselves a new religion that they would remain in a technical sense a sect of Islam.

The answer to the Ahmadi issue is for Indonesia and her citizens to live by that creed that is encompassed in Bhinneka Tunggal Ika or the idea of having unity in diversity rather than continue down the road of intolerance and indifference to human life and existence.

Once again, the Ahmadis spinning themselves off from Islam will not resolve the violence.

Ho hum...

What the Indonesian Government Really Means...

Religious freedom in its most basic essence, at least as I see it, is the idea that people are free to worship whatever they want and to be free from interference from others as they practice those beliefs. So, when Indonesia talks about religious freedom and a constitutionally guaranteed right to religious freedom is it really talking about this kind of pluralism or is it merely lip service and empty rhetoric? It is, as the past two days have shown, lip service and rhetoric. The government under SBY (Silly Bloody Yudhoyono or is that Stupid Buffalo Yudhoyono? I would go with the first because the second is a bad rap for all those good hard-working buffaloes out there making the lives of ordinary Indonesians better!).

The attack on the Ahmadiyah sect yesterday in Cikeusik in Banten was an example of murderous mob violence and the impotence of Indonesian law enforcement agencies to deal with this sort of extreme violence. The video is circulating on YouTube of the attack. And, apparently YLBHI has a full 30-minute version of the attack as it unfolds. The fact that a video exists is testament to one of two things: the pre-meditated planning that was involved that someone thought it necessary to videotape the incident for future reference or the nature of the communities in which we live that technology is cheap and everywhere and citizen journalism is but a mobile phone away.

SBY in his usual non-committal way whilst wearing a very serious face has suggested that there needs to be an investigation into the attack. The courageous leader then went on to say steps should be taken to prosecute anyone found to have violated the law. Uh huh! Mr. President, three men have been brutally murdered, these murders have been captured on video, so it is fair to say that numerous laws have been broken and there is video evidence of who was involved. Maybe your next step should be to get the FPI-affiliated National Police Chief you appointed to appoint Habib Rizieq to lead that there investigation! Incompetence breeds incompetence and unfortunately your administration is rife with incompetence. Even more unfortunate is that incompetence starts at the very top.

Let's face it, your first step has been to push the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto (aka the "Joke") to be your point man on the government's response to this. Sadly, his sum total contribution has been to remind Ahmadis to respect a joint ministerial decision that banned them from practicing their beliefs. Simply, the government is spinning this tragedy as one that could have been avoided if the Ahmadis would just allow the government to run roughshod over their constitutionally rights.

To be fair, the Joke did start off with saying that the government condemns the violence. Yet, the rest of the statement clearly shows that the government is looking to cast blame not on a mob intent on mayhem and murder but a small band of 25 followers of a sect that is of negligible threat to the broader practice of Islam in Indonesia.

But one has to question the method to the madness that is the SBY administration. Julian Aldrin Pasha, the SBY spokesman (hell of a job that one; chief spin doctor for a fraud), has said that the president has instructed the National Police Chief, Gen. Timur Pradopo, and the Religious Affairs Minister, Surydarma Ali, to head out to the site of the violence and explain to the public what went on and why. It is a no-brainer to work out where the government is going on this one, isn't it?

Perhaps Timur can explain how "embracing" FPI is beneficial to religious tolerance in Indonesia while Ali can busy himself with explaining how a small sect of limited followers can develop into a threat that is obviously destined to cause fractures in the unity of the Republic.

Perhaps it is time for SBY to stop worrying about protesters bringing buffalo to demonstrations and start working like a buffalo himself. Sadly, the people of Indonesia have been subject to a fraud of huge proportions since 2004.

The reality is that 2014 cannot come soon enough!

Organised Mob Violence in Indonesia in the Name of Islam...

I love Indonesia. It is my second home. My wife, Dyah, is Indonesian and my son, Will, will always be aware of his Indonesian heritage. So, it is with a heavy heart that I read stories of religious intolerance and organised mob violence and murder in the name of religion. In this case the religion is Islam. Heinous acts of gratuitous mob violence of this kind is a stain on all those good Indonesians who are peaceful, tolerant, accepting, and respectful of difference. After all, the state ideology relies on the very idea of unity in diversity; the idea that there is a oneness to the Republic of Indonesia in spite of the vast differences of the peoples that make her.

The government has wavered on its commitment to pluralism and religious tolerance. It has been wavering for a long time as it panders to ultra-conservative religious elements for reasons best known to those responsible. What is certain is that this pandering has allowed the government to avoid its constitutional responsibility to protect religious freedom in Indonesia. This failure has led to the Indonesian Council of Ulemas declaring the followers of the Ahmadiyah tradition a heretical sect. The consequences of this decision and the failure of the government to step in and clarify that there is such a concept as religious freedom in Indonesia, has led to murderous violence on a number of occasions. Most recently, today.

In the Cikeusik district of Pandeglang in West Java a mob of some 500 or more decided that they did not like the presence of some Ahmadiyah followers in their midst. These goons then set out to rectify the situation. That rectification was the destruction of the Ahmadi's place of worship and the subsequent murder of at least three people. These three were then strung up in a tree in front of their place of worship as a warning to other Ahmadis not to mess with the people of Cikeusik.

It is hard for those of us with some knowledge of US history not to see the similarities to the lynchings of African-Americans that occurred in the south at generally at the hands of those who were active members or sympathisers of the Ku Klux Klan or KKK.

There is no justification for the murder of these three individuals. The perpetrators are unlikely to be ever prosecuted because of the nature of the mob attack. Yet, there needs to be justice, there needs to be punishment. Perhaps if this was, as it seems, an organised attack, then perhaps those behind the scenes that organised it and incited the violence must be found and held accountable.

It was bizarre to read that a spokesperson for the Cikeusik district was arguing that this was an instance of self-defense as the Ahmadis attacked the mob of 500 with sharp weapons. I wonder who the numbers favoured in this contest?

The reality is that Indonesians need to know that their government and their law enforcement agencies are not going to sit idly by while a select few destroy Indonesia from within.

It is not too much for Indonesians to ask that their leaders have some testicular and ovarian fortitude and come out in no uncertain terms and condemn the violence. It is also not too much to ask that the perpetrators be found and punished to the full extent of the law.

What will be SBY's legacy?

Gun Violence: Enough of a Reason to Restrict Gun Ownership?

The Constitution of the United States of America provides in the Second Amendment the right of her citizens to "keep and bear arms". The US Supreme Court has addressed the issue a number of times and has affirmed that the right extends beyond guns being kept solely for use in a militia (see District of Columbia v. Heller). I do not claim to be a US constitutional law expert, or even a constitutional law expert.

What follows is commentary in light of the recent shooting deaths of six people in Tuscon Arizona recently. The attack occurred at a "meet & greet" the constituents event being held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

I am anti-guns. I do not see the use of them. I have fired the odd gun in the past, but it is just not my thing. I do not enjoy guns. I know many people who do enjoy guns and who make a good case for owning one or two or more. I am not anti-guns in the sense of law enforcement having them. Perhaps I am anti-guns in terms of how easy they are to acquire and how devastating they can be when used for illegal purposes.

I cannot imagine that the founding fathers or the early political masters of the US had in mind the sort of gun violence that afflicts the US now. I am almost certain that the founding fathers did not envisage that the right to own guns would become a right to wreak havoc, despair and death on innocents; men, women and children.

My condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in this tragedy: U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63; Christina Greene, 9; Giffords aide Gabe Zimmerman, 30; Dorothy Morris, 76; Dorwin Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Scheck, 79.U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63; Christina Greene, 9; Giffords aide Gabe Zimmerman, 30; Dorothy Morris, 76; Dorwin Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Scheck, 79. I also offer my best wishes for a speedy and full recovery to all those who were injured in this instance of madness and senseless violence.

I have been reading with interest that there are connections being made to the "vitriol" and over-the-top rhetoric, which includes references to gun violence, in the political debate. In my mind this is an associated, but secondary issue. The focus must remain on guns and the ease of access to them.

I wonder if there would be a significant drop in gun-related violence if the rules governing gun ownership were further tightened to a degree that they became incredibly onerous? Or, would this just serve to promote a black market for weapons allowing gun violence to persist?

I would be happy to live in a world without guns. Yet, I am a realist. If we did not have guns then we would kill ourselves with whatever weapons were available. yet, it would probably take a lot longer to kill six people with a bow and arrow in comparison to getting off 20 rounds from an automatic handgun.

Hopefully, this tragedy will spur some debate about guns and gun ownership that will generate a whole lot of bipartisan support that will ultimately see the rules tightened even further. Maybe, it is time that politicians and others stopped trying to hide behind some universal and blanket right allegedly secured by the founding fathers and had a little bit of a think about what the founding fathers were really concerned about when it came to the right to keep and bear arms.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I submit that the founding fathers and the early political statesmen of the Republic did not have the attempted murder of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in mind when confirming the Second Amendment as part of a "Bill of Rights".

Luna Maya, Ariel and Pemuda Pancasila...

So, what is the Pancasila Youth (Pemuda Pancasila) doing at the Ariel sex tape trial?

Part of the interest of watching a controversial celebrity trial is watching how the support for and against the defendant align themselves. A trial about sex tapes, and pornography generally, is certain to bring them out.

So, how do they align in the Ariel distribution of sex tapes case?

On, the one side you seemingly have the self-righteous Garis or the Islamic Reform Movement who would like to see Ariel get the death penalty for his lack of morals. To be clear, Garis is about the creation of an Islamic state. It is not about reform of Islam and the promotion of moderate Islam. So, Garis lines up fairly well with the other resident evil in Indonesia, FPI.

The Islam Defenders' Front or, as some people prefer, the white-robed thugs, also would like to see Ariel punished severely. However, there was a moment or two there where the FPI thought Ariel might want to repent and get more in touch with his Muslim spiritual side. Unfortunately, from an FPI marketing point of view, Ariel seems to have chosen a different path to redemption than the one offered by FPI. Strangely, or perhaps logically, enough these are the folks that find themselves aligned with the government through the Office of the Attorney General and the public prosecutors tasked with garnering a conviction.

On the other side, is just about everyone else. Everyone else here includes not only the long-suffering girlfriend, Luna Maya. Tere is also Ariel's daughter and extended family. And, also his dyed in the wool fans, and just about anyone with a shred of common sense. However, also lining up on this side of the equation is Pemuda Pancasila.

Having a look at the photo (thanks Kapan Lagi), it would seem that the Pancasila Youth are there in support of Luna Maya as her personal security. This is probably not a bad idea in a lot of respects. I am not a fan of Pemuda Pancasila, never have been and will never likely be. To each their own though. So, why is it not a bad idea. Well, it is not a bad idea because the police thought the potential for violent conflict at the trial in the District Court in Bandung was so great that they thought it necessary to deploy 600 armed officers. It is a good idea because the FPI and  Garis have threatened violence and intimidation. It is a good idea because this whole trial is a media circus. Therefore, in order to plow your way through the waiting throng a bevy of beefy lads is probably just the thing.

I have heard that this kind of close personal protection is not a hugely expensive deal. So, if the figures I have seen being bandied about are true then somewhere between IDR 60,000 and IDR 150,000 is a pretty good deal. It is also real value for effort for the Pancasila Youth boys as well. Nothing like a little bit of exposure in order to advance one's goals. It would seem that the Pancasila Youth are affiliated with the West Java Chapter and under the auspices of Kang Dasep.

Yet, in the big scheme of things, this is all a side show and an unhappy distraction. I would really like to know what sort of personal toll this is taking on Ariel and Luna Maya, particularly their relationship together. To be honest, it is nice to actually see the degree of loyalty that Luna Maya has. She turns up to each trial hearing and she professes her love of Ariel and her disappointment in the process, particularly the fact that charges were ever pursued and laid.

The question, if I had permission to ask one, would be "will you last?" Take that as you will. Maybe it is will you last personally? Maybe it is will you last as a couple? Maybe it refers to whether there are lasting careers to be repaired here? My personal hope is that the case runs out of steam and just dies where it stands. So, my second question follows on from the first in that sense, "where do you go from here?"

There will undoubtedly be more posts on this. I think it is time to look at a few more issues in depth and do a little bit of critical legal analysis on matters such as retroactive use of laws, legal representation, prosecutorial discretion or misconduct, and the like.

So, perhaps this story needs a narrator, maybe we should 'call him Ishmael'!

Mr. President...

The abuse of Indonesia's migrant workers has been a problem from time immemorial. The reality is that Indonesia's migrant workers of the domestic servant kind are often thrown like lambs to the slaughter (for want of a better analogy) as they are under-skilled for the exploitation that they are about to be subject to. This has always had a high probability of ending badly for the migrant worker. Badly equates to, quite often, physical abuse at the hands of her employers, and sometimes worse.

The case of Sumiati has once again brought this very cold hard reality home.

Sadly, the President, SBY, has decided that a viable option is to equip all migrant workers with a mobile phone and a list of Embassy and Consulate numbers, presumably pre-loaded.

You really do not want to be searching for a business card while getting beaten to within an inch of your life. This is sad because the suggestion so obviously fails to see the reality that any domestic servant fronting up with a visible mobile phone of their own is likely to have it confiscated by the employer, particularly if the employer is the abusive and controlling kind.

Then again, the populist president knows his constituents are watching, so he has to say something.

I have always believed that there were large numbers of Indonesians heading to foreign locales as migrant workers. And, based on this the percentage that were subject violence was relatively small in number. I was not of the impression that there was a majority of migrant workers that were subject to violence. I will now do a little research and see if I can track down some statistics on the level of abuse.

So, it is within this understanding I wonder whether it is possible to eradicate all instances of violence? I am not suggesting that the Indonesian government throw up its hands and say that the numbers of victims considering the sheer numbers of migrant workers is acceptable.

To the contrary, perhaps a more comprehensive, and validated, pre-departure training program needs to be enforced to ensure that those Indonesians heading overseas to work, not only have the job skills necessary to complete their work contracts, but also have sufficient language skills and knowledge of what to do, where to go, and how to navigate the processes when things go wrong.

I have read stories of Indonesian families who lock their domestic servants inside the house when they go out. So, I do wonder how the Indonesian government plans to deal with a similar scenario if it was to occur in Saudi Arabia or Malaysia. I am not convinced that a mobile phone, in and of itself, is the answer.

Thought for Today: Violence...

Hmmm....

TitS and the Porn Star Phenomenon...

Poor old Tifatul Sembiring (AKA "TitS" for those of you who are yet to read my earlier posts on the man and his mission) has a problem with porn stars! I am not sure that the preceding statement needs any further clarification. Nevertheless, it is going to get one. It seems TitS has determined that hiring foreign porn stars to star in local horror movies is just another way that local film producers are going about poking fun at the moral standards held dear by Indonesians. The other problem that TitS seemingly has is that hiring international porn stars undermines his anti-porn message.

The recently released film "The Moans of a Virgin Ghost" (Rintihan Kuntilanak Perawan) which starred the [in]famous porn star Tera Patrick and the less famous Indonesian [porn star] wannabes of Catherine Wilson and Angelique came in for special mention by the poorly-performing Minister of Communication and Information.

The Minister has taken this film, and the bringing in of Tera Patrick to star in the film, way to personally. It really is not an attempt to either mock the Minister or to mock Indonesia's anti-pornography laws. According to TitS, Tera Patrick "personifies the resistance to morality". Nice call, Minister. So, self-confessed polygamists are not a moral challenge to the Indonesian community? Violence against women and children can take many forms. If one is going to campaign against moral evil, then it makes sense to line up all the morally reprehensible and deal with them all at once.

The exploitation of porn stars in non-porn roles, particularly big-name foreign porn stars such as Patrick, Miyabi (Maria Ozawa) and Rin Sakuragi is nothing more that smart marketing designed to generate as much cheap advertising as they can by orchestrating controversy. What is really sad is that the Minister and the FPI, among others, continue to fall for this viral marketing strategy.

But, thanks TitS, this would seem like a most gratuitous time to post more pictures of Tera Patrick in "all" her glory!

She must be wearing a different cut of swimmers to what she normally wears...

Police vs. Demonstrators -- Indonesian Style...

This rather disturbing image that came through on Facebook shows just how far Indonesia has come since 1998 under the stewardship of Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), Megawati, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). It would seem that the police way of repelling unruly demonstrators is to point guns at them.

I am not advocating that students or others have a right to violent protest. What I am wondering is whether pointing guns at them and shooting them is an appropriate or proportional response.

As to the image. I do not know of its authenticity or lack thereof. I pass comment only on that which I see in it.

Laws on the Building of Houses of Worship -- Indonesia...

One way of ensuring that the whittling down, and perhaps removal, of certain constitutionally guaranteed rights, such as the right to worship freely, is to put the decision making process to a committee of one's peers. In this case, a joint ministerial regulation on the building of houses or places to worship is set to be formalised into a law.

In essence, the regulation requires the approval of a majority of residents for a house of worship to be built in a specified area. In a country that is predominantly Muslim, this means that getting the requisite approval for a mosque is a real no-brainer. Besides, if the community did not approve a mosque it is almost certainly going to see large-scale protests take place, perhaps even violent confrontations as the FPI crazies are bused in under  the guise of being representative of Indonesian Islam. However, the flip side of this coin is that it is difficult to get houses / places of worship approved for minority religions such as Christianity (various sects) and other recognised religions in Indonesia such as Buddhism and Hinduism.

The recent trials and tribulations that have unfolded in Bekasi as a Christian group seeks to formalise the permitting process for its house of worship is testament to the difficulties minority faiths can endure at the hands of a minority of the local population who vocally and violently oppose the construction of a Church.

Yet, it must be noted that this is not exclusively a Muslim vs. Christian scenario. Let's face it, the declaration that the Ahmadiyya sect is a deviant Muslim sect has seen Muslim against Muslim occur on an ever-increasingly frequent level. And, Muslim vs. Muslim does not entail any polite courtesy as the "real" Muslims burn down the "deviant" Muslim's house of worship, in this instance a Mosque. Tolerance, or lack thereof, is an interesting thing.

The regulation is illuminating as it to all intents and purposes forces the ghetto-isation of minority religions. How so? The regulation requires that any proposed house of worship be approved by at least 60 of the households in the immediate vicinity of the site. Therefore, the best way to ensure your proposed house of worship gets the nod of approval is to ensure that all like minded believers live in close proximity to each other and therefore the land set aside for the house of worship will be surrounded on all sides by the "true" believers. Simply, if you permit interlopers of questionable commitment into your midst then they could conceivably derail your plan for a house of worship. Hence, we have the ghetto-isation of religion.

Is it too extreme to then ponder whether it is possible that Indonesia is moving towards becoming an Islamic state? To avoid confusion, Indonesia is a democratic and sovereign state, so if the majority of the people want the Republic to be an Islamic state, then so be it. Moving from the secular to the non-secular will require a constitutional change at least in my opinion. Maybe I should pose this question to a former student of mine Pan Mohamad Faiz who is now a recognised expert on Indonesian constitutional law.

It is sad that the president has not been pro-active on promoting tolerance in any significant and substantial way beyond, "yo, my fellow Indonesians, chill out!" If you are wondering what I mean by pro-active, I mean take a firmer and more hard line stance against groups like the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) who are nothing more than thugs in robes whose modus operandi is to enforce compliance through violence.

If this regulation becomes law then it is likely that there will be an immediate move towards ghetto-isation and walled compounds for minority faiths, and increasing levels of communal violence as the white-robed hoodlums of the FPI try to prevent the construction of any place of worship that is not an approved mosque.

Ramadan -- A Time of Peace, Harmony, and a Little Reflection...

There must be something in the water or air out Lombok way this Ramadan. It seems that foreigners and the local populace cannot find any common ground upon which to co-exist peacefully.

The latest incident saw another expat home trashed. Stephen Alexander, a German, complained to the local Village Head of Lembah Sari that someone had destroyed his garden statues (presumably they were not gnomes).

His manner of complaint, and a suggestion that the local Muslim populace were poor imitations of good Muslims inspired the local Muslim populace to show him how good they were, and they trashed his house.

One has to wonder whether the matter of principle here was really worth the ultimate outcome? A few statues for a whole house, hmmmm? The statues allegedly resembled Hindu figures and Alexander had been asked to remove them. The Jakarta Globe is reporting that Alexander is a Muslim. Maybe he now wishes that he had just moved them into the backyard or out of plain view.

I am all for a little peaceful co-existence, some harmony, and a little reflection. However, all of these things seem to be premised on a little bit of tolerance. Expats have to understand there are ways and means in Indonesian society where you can express your displeasure and get results in your favour. And, there are ways and means that will only enrage and facilitate a response that will only serve to escalate any tensions present. That said, Indonesians also need to develop a little bit thicker skin and appreciate that no matter how long the expat lives in Indonesia that sometimes the expats just cannot help but to revert to what they know or who they are.

When it is all said and done, jumping up and down on the spot and yelling is not likely to see the outcome you want eventuate. Alexander has learned this the hard way.

The moral of the story here...tolerance. We all need to learn a little bit of it. Surely among adults this is a dispute that could have been resolved without insulting the local populace or the trashing of someone's house.

Ho hum...

Government of Jakarta, huh?

I have read some stupid things today, but this takes the cake. What is the Government of Jakarta thinking when it states that it thinks working cooperatively with the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) during the holy month of Ramadan to "secure" entertainment venues. Secure in this context must mean compliance as opposed to safeguard. Unfortunately, this news story I read in Indonesian (here, so if you can read it...if not, then you will have to take my word for it).

At this stage it is supposedly only a plan, but the fact that it has been suggested shows some serious lack of foresight by the government and a real lack of understanding. The Government of Jakarta has sufficient law enforcement resources at its disposal that it just does not need to make use of the thugs at the FPI to do quasi police work.

As I said, this is the stupidest thing I read today. The FPI is the same bunch of goons that go round each Ramadan and forcibly close entertainment venues irrespective of whether the venue is operating pursuant to the rules and regulations.

These closures are done using extreme violence and are designed to damage as much property as possible, they are designed to inflict physical harm on patrons at these venues, and they are designed to strike fear into the general populace. So, I ask again, what is the government thinking by seemingly granting the FPI legitimacy to break the law and harm the citizens of Jakarta?

The Governor of Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo, really needs to think again on this one. If he stays this course it only serves to provide ammunition to his critics who have already nicknamed him Fuzzy Bodoh (bodoh in Indonesian means stupid).

The plan to use the FPI is just a stupid, stupid, stupid idea!

Is It Safe For Australians to Travel to Bali?

If you have read the latest travel advice from the Australian Government available at Smart Traveller, then you would be having serious considerations about wanting to travel to Indonesia, and more specifically Bali.

According to the advice, rabies is a real threat to Australian travellers. Also, a violent feud between rival taxi companies has also escalated to a point where the Australian authorities consider there to be real risks to Australian holiday makers on the island of Bali. These two issues are additions to the standard fare about the ever-present threat of terrorism and natural disasters.

So, the question is: "Should Australians travel to Indonesia, and particularly Bali, in light of the travel advice?" Yes. If you want to go to Bali then you should not be deterred by the issuance of this travel advisory. Travel, like any other human activity, comes with risks and rewards. The simple equation you have is as a traveller is to balance those risks and rewards and make an informed decision on whether to go or not.

Travel to Indonesia is really about being aware of your own personal safety and surrounds. If you are a little bit more conscious of not placing yourself in dangerous situations then you are unlikely to be harmed. The chances of one being killed in a terrorist attack are small. If you are worried about dying, then have a look at statistics for what kills people while they travel and my guess is that you will find rabies and violent taxi feuds rank pretty low on the scale of misadventure. It is not being argued that it is impossible, but it is being argued that the risks are negligible if you use your brains.

That is the rant for today.

The FPI and Promises of a Raid-Free Ramadan...

Now, here's a deal...the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) has informed the government of Jakarta that they will not undertake any raids of nightspots or entertainment venues provided that the government uphold the prevailing laws and regulations that apply during Ramadan. In particular, the FPI have been referring to a 2004 bylaw which regulates trading hours for bars, clubs, and other entertainment venues, such as pool halls.

The problem with this claim by the FPI is that it just is simply not going to be the case for the whole month. Hopefully, I will be eating humble pie come the end of Ramadan and stating unequivocally that the FPI have done as they said and kept their robes, balaclavas, sticks and stones in the cupboard and let law enforcement do their job. Truth be told, law enforcement do their job every year, but it has never been enough to satisfy the FPI in the past so it is hard to imagine that it will be any different this year.

Traditionally, and almost like clockwork, the FPI goons come out en masse and select an entertainment venue to trash based on a bogus claim that the venue is operating outside the provisions of the law.

If Ramadan is about restraint and purification of one's soul through reflection and prayer, then it would make more sense for the FPI to show a little tolerance and restraint, and rather than smashing up bars and clubs spend a little more time on reflection and prayer.

Meanwhile, here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure of various venues and random people in bars and clubs throughout Jakarta. And a couple of photos of the FPI in action throughout the archipelago.






These are the viewing pleasure photos...

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Why the World can do without the Taliban...

If you want to read about the genesis of this article in Time Magazine, and the article itself follow this link.

Otherwise, the picture can do the talking on this one.

Peterporn and Increasing Child Rape...

A celebrity sex tape and the world of Indonesia is falling apart at the seams, it seems! When it is all said and done what we have here is a celebrity sex tape. Nothing more, nothing less. What we also have is a celebrity sex tape which has already been watched by millions upon millions of 'law abiding and moral' Indonesian citizens. The rest of what we have is anecdotal and unsubstantiated theories of what the impact has been on Indonesian society and how it should be dealt with. Just about all of it over the top.

What is really disturbing is that much of the over the top stuff is being driven and flamed by the obvious pot stirrers such as the Islam Defenders' Front (FPI) and institutions such as the Child Protection Commission (KPAI). I do not know if I can say it enough times, all we have is a celebrity sex tape, two of them to be precise so far. That is it folks!

Now, the Chairman of the KPAI, Hadi Supeno, is of the firm opinion that Nazriel 'Ariel' Irham must apologise to all Indonesian children. This belief is based on an assertion that Peterpan has some 30 million fans and a great number of them are in their tweens. What is truly disturbing is the assertion that the sex tape has led to an increase kn reports of rape and sexual abuse involving children, both as perpetrators and as victims. The intent is clear because the above assertion is followed by a modifying statement that suggests this increase is post the release of the tapes.

To my knowledge, and I read widely and peruse Indonesian news 4 or 5 times a day, there have not been any rapes or sexual assaults where the claim was that the perpetrator was trying to copy the actions of Ariel. To make the link that there is some kind of direct correlation between the videos and increasing sexual assault reports is irresponsible in the extreme. Supeno seems more interested in acting in his own interests by making outrageous statements to get his name and mug in the papers and on TV than he does with the idea that the interests of the child should be paramount.

The apology, and the demand for it is a little premature. If the tapes / videos were stolen, then Ariel has been the victim of a crime. Since when has law enforcement been about punishing the victims of crime and not the perpetrators of those crimes? There is no guarantee that with a strict reading of the prevailing laws and regulations, especially the Porn Law, that Ariel has in fact broken the law by taping himself doing the deed with either Luna Maya or Cut Tari.

The idea of video taping yourself having sex is questionable in light of the fact that these things can get lost or stolen. The rest as hindsight shows us is history. There is no going back once the footage is out there. Should Ariel apologise for having sex? No. Should he apologise for video taping it? If he wants to. Should he apologise to the youth of Indonesia for the tape finding its way into the public forum? No. At most this should become a teaching moment where Ariel can talk directly to youth about the perils associated with his actions and how intent does not always matter in cases such as this one.

But not being one to let sleeping dogs lie, Supeno has fanned the flames even further by suggesting that even if Ariel does not want to apologise to the children of Indonesia, he should apologise to all Indonesians as a means of quietening down the hardliners such as those in the FPI. Supeno then goes on to equate any failure to apologise to the masses as being the trigger to violence. The Chairman is being truly irresponsible in suggesting that the failure to apologise is a legitimate trigger to violence.

The FPI have a pretty solid track record of violence. They do not need to be spurred on to further violence. Nevertheless, claims such as those put forward by Supeno and the KPAI will only serve to embolden those look for any reason to wreak havoc on the innocent. Emboldened as they now are, the FPI in Bandung is demanding that the local government revoke Ariel's identity card. Every Indonesian is required to hold an identity card. Is the suggestion that making a sex video is sufficient to extinguish your rights as a citizen. It seems that revoking his Bandung ID is not enough, the FPI would like the local government to ban Ariel from ever returning to Bandung. Over the top? Just a little!

At least the Home Affairs Minister, Gamawan Fauzi say the irrationality of demanding the revocation of Ariel's ID card by saying that there are no laws in place that would allow for the revocation of an Indonesian's ID card for making porn videos.

The kicker for me is that the FPI jumps up and down on the spot in between destroying public and private property in the name of Allah and Islam while simultaneously perpetrating violence against those who will not agree with them, and then say that Ariel has destroyed the moral fabric of Indonesia. There is something inherently wrong in the claim, the vast majority of Indonesians can see through the hypocrisy of that without blinking an eye.

Once again, I do not know if I can emphasize this enough, this is just a celebrity sex tape! The world is not ending, the sky is not falling in, and life will go on!

For those of you out there who think this is the end of the world as we know it, Get A Grip!

SBY Orders an Investigation...So What Gitu Loh!

Uh huh!

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, or SBY as he is affectionately known to the masses, has ordered investigations on the recent arson attack on the offices of Tempo Magazine and the brutal beating (and stabbing) of Tama Satrya Langkun of Indonesian Corruption Watch.

The Tempo attack was a couple of Molotov cocktails thrown at their offices by unknown assailants. The attack follows hot on the heels of an edition of the magazine which reported police corruption. The whole print run was allegedly purchased by police as a means of keeping the edition of the streets. It must be noted that the police deny any role in purchasing the magazines. The Langkun beating and stabbing also comes hot on the heels of some whistleblowing on alleged police corruption and the funneling of very large sums of money into the private accounts of police officers.

Funnily enough (in that sad and perverse kind of a way) The Jakarta Globe is reporting that the president has been following these incidents through the mass media! Really? The president is relying on the mass media for his security and political updates. Now that is funny, and sad!

SBY has proven to be a real disappointment to many Indonesians. He is a man who came to power and the presidency on claims that he was a corruption fighter and a change maker, the undeniable game breaker. He was going to change the way politics was done in Indonesia. This has sadly not been the case. His legacy will be one of not meeting the expectations of the Indonesian public. History will not necessarily judge him in a positive light even after the passage of much time. Too many bad things have happened on his watch. He will be remembered for failures such as the Munir case. In the Munir case he assured Munir's widow that justice would be done and the perpetrators would be brought to justice for their crimes.

So, it is little wonder when SBY comes out and states unequivocally that it is important that law enforcement capture the perpetrators of these two crimes and then prosecute them to the full extent of the law that most people start to shake their heads and go "whatever!" This is particularly so when the president goes on record to say that it is a third party that is responsible for these crimes, and this party is taking advantage of the situation to further sully the police force's good name. Huh?

Should the above be construed as the president is in the know, and he in fact knows that the perpetrators are a third party? Or could this be construed by those cynics and conspiracy theorists among us as a deliberate attempt to deflect attention away from the police and parties related to the police?

The onus is on the police and other law enforcement agencies to see all these cases resolved. The onus is on the president to do everything within his legal power to ensure that these cases are resolved. There must be accountability across the board. This is not just accountability for the perpetrators of these crimes but there must also be full accountability for those people tasked with uncovering the perpetrators and then prosecuting them.

In many ways, Indonesia's future depends on it!

Beating Activists in Indonesia...

Some things seem destined to never change. The fact that Indonesia seemingly does not take this kind of violence and brutality seriously only serves to embolden the perpetrators into believing that they can act with immunity and impunity. The Munir case remains unresolved; unresolved to any satisfaction to those who have suffered directly and to the great majority of Indonesians who suffer indirectly because of the president's, the government's, and law enforcement's desire not to pursue the case seriously.

This lack of action can be directly linked, at least in my humble opinion, to the recent brutal bashing and stabbing of Tama Satrya Langkun of Indonesian Corruption watch. Langkun is an investigator with ICW and has been prominent in the uncovering of alleged police corruption, particularly the publicising of some rather large deposits into the personal bank accounts of Indonesian police officers. Langkun was stabbed and beaten in a vicious attack in Duren Tiga in South Jakarta. He was riding a motorcycle with a colleague. The attack occurred at 3.45am. He is reportedly in a stable condition in a local hospital.

This was clearly not a robbery but rather a calculated attack against an activist. Nothing was stolen. In fact, the perpetrators revisited the scene of the crime after the attack to return Langkun's motorcycle helmet, which had been taken.

Indonesia claims to be a democracy where the rule of law prevails. This would be much easier to believe if the perpetrators of assassinations, such as that of Munir, and the political violence evidenced in this most recent attack were pursued and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Indonesia might be a democracy, but it is a democracy where the 'old ways' continue to be tolerated and seemingly encouraged through the lack of action taken by the powers that be.

Maybe it is time for all Indonesians to take a stand and demand something more than lip-service to the ideal of good governance, clean governance, democracy, and human rights from their fellow Indonesians in government and law enforcement.

It could be a long wait.

The photo was sourced from The Jakarta Globe via Facebook.

FPI, Violence, Protest, Tolerance & Respect...

This is the Islamic Defenders' Front in action (as opposed to inaction). The photo is a 'file photo' that I found floating around on The Jakarta Globe website. The photo is of the FPI demonstrating in front of the US Embassy.

I have always been one for supporting the right to protest. I am also very much for non-violent protest, and this includes acts of civil disobedience. In that respect, I much admire the determination of men like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, both of whom paid the ultimate price in the pursuit of their ideals.

I guess the point of this very short post is to say something about tolerance and respect. If "we" as people are going to move forward to a more peaceful, harmonious and prosperous existence then we are going to have to become more tolerant and respectful of out differences. Quite simply, violent protest that results in the destruction of people and property is not going to advance our causes and out beliefs over the long term.

Perhaps it is time for others to take the lead? Perhaps those others are those that are committed to peaceful co-existence based on mutual tolerance and mutual respect.

Always the eternal optimist, but you just never know...maybe one day the world will become the place that I desire it to be (at least in the little part of it that I inhabit). I guess when it is all said and done, it is about being the change that you want to see in the world.

Islamic Defenders Front -- Giving Islam a Bad Name...

Now, I am not usually one for the conspiracy theories. However, I often wonder how an organisation like the Front Pembela Islam or the Islamic Defenders Front can be so naive with the manner that they go about promoting their brand of radical violent Islam gives rise to serious questions about who they act for. It sometimes reaches a point where one has to wonder whether there is a conspiracy at play here. One where particular interests are using the highly gullible and easily influenced in order to give Islam a bad name. And, let's face it the FPI gives Islam a bad name.

The FPI and their most recent cause saw them storming a hotel in Depok, West Java, to disband a transsexual lingerie contest. Unfortunately, the FPI had been had. It was not a lingerie contest but rather a seminar on human rights. A seminar that in fact was teaching Indonesia transsexual and transgender individuals about their human rights. There was not a lingerie-clad transsexual in sight (probably much to the disappointment of the FPI thugs in attendance).

The seminar itself was supported by the Indonesian National Commission for Human Rights and had the requisite approval to proceed. This approval was granted by the Indonesian police force among others. Unfortunately, it seems no one bothered to get the approval of the local chapter of the FPI. The failure to get the FPI's approval is seemingly a sin against Allah and undoubtedly against Allah's Prophet, Muhammad.

The perversely funny thing here is that by raiding the seminar the FPI has given the Indonesian transsexual and transgender community a profile it might not have had, particularly if they had been left alone to go about their business of attending a seminar on human rights. So, one has to wonder about the agenda of the FPI here. If the FPI is really all about ridding Indonesia  of such "perversion" then why bother helping promote acknowledgement, and perhaps acceptance, of the fact that there are different parts to the broader Indonesian community. In my mind, it is the FPI that is the perversion and needs to be shut down and not my brothers and sisters in the transsexual and transgender community that are pursuing their right to learn about their human rights in an approved forum.

Alternatively, the FPI could show that they have learned a little but about tolerance and accepting difference (my guess is that the FPI will never come to appreciate difference) then they can continue to exist. However, if their continued course is one of violence and intolerance then they must be punished to the full extent of the law and shut down. Any failure to punish the FPI and to shut them down which allows them to continually and unashamedly break the law and violate other individuals human rights begs the question as to why the police and the Indonesian government tolerate them. One would seemingly have to ask: "does the government and do the police approve of the FPI actions?" Should silence and failure to act be construed as support for the FPI agenda?

Ultimately, respect is a two-way street. If you want to be respected then you must respect others. In very simple terms, respect is earned. FPI has not earned respect and is undeserving of respect because of its repeated failures to respect others.