Lady Gaga Concert Cancelled

I am not a fan of Lady Gaga, simply because she is not the kind of singer that I like, and I am not familiar with any of her songs, because they are not the kinds of songs that I like.

However, I was very happy when I heard that she will come to Jakarta and entertain tens of thousands of her fans at the Gelora Senayan Soccer Stadium on 3 June.

I was also happy when I read on The Jakarta Globe that ticket sales for the concert were strong selling 52,000 tickets since 10 March, which according to the organizer Big Daddy were sold the prices ranging from Rp 445.000,- up to Rp 2,250,000,-

I was happy when the Ministry of Tourism and Culture allowed the concert to go on in spite of the protests from few minority groups of people who claimed to be protectors of Islam like the FPI and FUI who love to use violence in expressing their protests.

Frankly speaking, as a member of a liberal democratic society I don't mind if those groups of people do not agree with Lady Gaga's concert in Jakarta because they don't agree with the sexy dresses she use to wear in her concerts and lyrics of some of her songs which they consider indecent and contradictory to the religion of the majority people in Indonesia.

But I am very sad that those groups have threatened to use violence if the concert is carried out, and the Jakarta Police's refusal to give permit because of that threat.

On top of it all, I am more sad to know that the said concert has not obtain full approval from all the relevant authorities although the organizer has sold 52,000 tickets.

I hope that from now on, every similar concerts should obtain permits from all those authorities first before they sell tickets, therefore the public, in this case her fans, would not have to be disappointed and lose money because of the cancellation.

Regarding Lady Gaga's concert, I wish that the Police would not just make decision because of the threats from the above mentioned groups. The Police can always give strict conditions for the concert e.g requiring Lady Gaga not to appear very sexy.

Nevertheless, I hope that the above cancellation would stop Big Daddy and other organizers in Indonesia from organizing popular international artists concerts in the future.


Banner : Courtesy of Lady Gaga

FPI Beaten by Housewives

All this time, the news media have always been reporting about FPI frightening people with their violent actions.

That's why I was surprised, and very happy, when I read on The Jakarta Globe that the Chairman of FPI in North Sumatera, and a number of his armed followers were forced to flee to safety after they attempted to evict a mother and her newborn baby from a disputed property in Medan, last Tuesday. 

Though the FPI men escaped without injury, their car was badly damaged by the rampaging women.

I hope that what those housewives done would be followed by other people who are attacked by FPI, and the Police would not hesitate to take actions against them.

Please Eliminate Violent Organizations

On 6 February 2011, an Ahmadiyah secte community in Cikeusik, Banten was attacked by a mob of 1,500 people from outside the village and killed 3 secte followers.

On 8 February, several churches in the town of Temanggung, Central Java, were damaged by a group of people who were very angry at the verdict of local district court which has passed a sentenced lighter than they expected to a Christian man who they alleged had conducted blasphemy on Islam.

In reaction to the above violent actions, President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (SBY) made a very wonderful statement that instructed law enforcement agencies to disband any organization that practiced violence.

The president's statement has annoyed the FPI, an organization that claimed that they practiced violence in the name of Islam. They threatened that if the government disband their organization they will overthrow SBY and his government.  This is clearly a crime against the state according to the Criminal Law.

But to my disappointment, the President's aides do not seemed to be worried at FPI's above threat.

The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Laws and Security Djoko Suyanto told reporters that the President's statement was not addressed to the FPI.

The Minister of Home Affairs Gamawan Fauizi even met with the leader of FPI and implied as if everything is okay.

While the Chief of National Police Timur Pradopo did not give direct answer when reporters asked him about FPI's threat.

The government's seemingly ignorant reactions to above violence has caused another violent attack in the town of Pasuruan, East Java. This time another group of people who claimed to be acting in the name of Islam has attacked an Islamic boarding school that they alleged to belong to the Shiite secte.

Considering the above mentioned facts, I hope that the President was really serious when he made his above statement and by instruct once again all the law enforcement agencies to disband organizations that practice violence in our society.

Attack on Christians in Bekasi

On Sunday morning, some unidentified men attacked  a group of Christians as they headed to prayer at a field in Bekasi, West Java, fourty kilometers from Jakarta.

The attackers on motorcycles stabbed a worshiper Asia Sihombing on his stomach and pounded Reverend Luspida Simadjuntak in the face as she was about to help him.  

The attackers ranaway after the Police arriived at the scene of tragedy and none of them were caught.

According to media reports, the main cause of the tragedy was a dispute between local people who were mostly Muslims, and the Christian minority who wishes to build a church in the field. In spite of continuous protests, and no permit has been issued by the local government, the Christians have been praying there for almost 20 years.
Some people assumed that the attack was carried out by Muslim hard-liners, but the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) who is known for its hard line stance has condemned the attack.

President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (SBY) asked citizens not to be provoked by the tragedy saying that it was an ordinary criminal case and not an inter-religion case. He also instructed the Chief of National Police Gen. Bambang Danuri to investigate the case intensively and report directly to him.

I am very sad that this tragedy occurred only two days after Muslims celebrated Hari Raya Eid/ Lebaran. I hope that the Police would immediately arrest the attackers, so that they can be tried in the Court of law and be punished for their crimes.

Related media reports :
-  Christian worshippers attacked in Indonesia (The Associated Press).
-  Jakarta Police Chief: Attack on Church Leaders purely Criminal (The Jakarta Post)
-  Ciketing Church Warned to Move (The Jakarta Globe)
-  Mencari Sisi Lain Pemberitaan HKBP Bekasi (Politikana)

Abubakar Ba'asyir Arrested

This morning, Police Anti Terrorist Unit Densus-88 arrested Abu Bakar Basir, the alleged leader of the South East Asia terrorist network Jemaah Islamiah (JI).

Please find below the news about the arrest that I have quoted from Kompas.

I hope that the arrest would stop violence committed by anyone or group of people who claim to be acting in the name of certain religion.
I also hope that the government and its law enforcement agencies would be consistent in eliminating violence especially that we are about to enter the holy month of Ramadhan.

Recent Terrorism Cases Lead to Ba'asyir's Arrest

Senin, 9 Agustus 2010 | 10:01 WIB

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesia National Police Headquarters confirmed the arrest of senior leader of Jama'ah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT) Abu Bakar Ba'asyir by an anti-terrorist unit special detachment 88 (Densus 88).

"That's right, he was arrested," said National Police spokesman Sr. Comm. Marwoto Soeto on Monday.  According to him, Ba'asyir  was arrested over his alleged involvement in recent terrorism cases.

"Arrested for dealing with the cases," added Marwoto. Ba'asyir was arrested in Ciamis at around  8 a.m. local  time.

"He's being probed by investigators."

The Notorious FPI

On 21 May 1998, President Soeharto stepped down after 32 year of authoritarian rule, since then Indonesia experienced a liberal democratic system.

One of the by product of such system is the creation of an organization called Front Pembela Islam (FPI) or Islamic Defender Front in 1998.

In spite of its name, FPI's actions did not reflect that of a religious organization, its members often carried out brutal violence such as raiding entertainment places and making threats. The worst thing is that most of such actions were untouchable by the law. For  that reason, many people alleged that  FPI has been maintained by the Police and/or the military for certain purpose.

The latest act act of violence was on 24 June when a group of people who claimed to be members of FPI ransacked a seminar organized by some members of the House of Representatives in Banyuwangi, East Java, which FPI accused has been organized illegally by former members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) which was disbanded in 1965.

The above acts of violence have been strongly protested by the public, many of them demanded that FPI should be disbanded.

However, in several TV interviews FPI's spokesman denied that they took part in the said violence in Banyuwangi, saying that FPI has changed its paradigm from violence to non violence, and will dismiss members who do not obey this rule.

Further, FPI accused that its name has been used by certain people to divert public's attention from far more important things that is happening in Indonesia today.

Considering the fact that FPI's frequent violent actions were almost untouchable by the laws, I felt that FPI has been intentionally maintained by the security agencies to do things which would divert public's attention from far more important things in life like the (10% to 20%) electricity hike starting 1 July. And such action seems to be quite successful.

I hope that the law enforcement agencies would investigate all allegations against FPI and punish them if proven guilty.


Related articles in the media :
-  Islamic Defenders Front (Wikipedia)
-  Daftar Aksi Front Pembela Islam (Wikipedia)
-  Front Pembela Islam (FPI) in Indonesia (Indonesia Matters)
-  Kronologis Peristiwa Banyuwangi (FPI site)
-  Ulil: FPI Harus Dibubarkan (Tempo)
-  Rieke Punya Bukti Keterlibatan FPI (Kompas)
-  Tuntutan Pembubaran FPI Tidak Mengada-Ada (Legalitas)
-  Menko Polkam: Percuma Kita Bubarkan (Rakyat Merdeka)