Hard-liners want JIL evicted before Ramadhan<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Several Muslim leaders claiming to represent Utan Kayu residents
\nin East Jakarta told district officials late on Tuesday to evict
\nthe Liberal Islam Network (JIL) from the area before the
\nbeginning of Ramadhan in early October.<\/p>\n
As district officials were holding a dialog with
\nrepresentatives of the Utan Kayu Community at the Al-Muslimun
\nmosque -- about five minutes walk from JIL's headquarters --
\nmosque leader Ustadz Syafruddin Tandjung took the floor and at
\nleast 100 people shouted their desire to see JIL forced to leave
\nthe area.<\/p>\n
"They asked the district leaders to solve the matter before
\nthe beginning of Ramadhan and said that there was no need for
\nfurther dialog," recounted Radio 68H production director Heru
\nHendratmoko, who also attended Tuesday's meeting.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear what would happen if JIL was
\nstill operating by the beginning of the fasting month, which will
\nstart on Oct. 5.<\/p>\n
Rumors have been simmering that some Muslim extremist groups
\nwould attack JIL, which is headed by noted Muslim scholar Ulil
\nAbsar Abdala. Ulil recently went to the United States to begin a
\ndoctoral course.<\/p>\n
The Utan Kayu Community complex, where JIL is located, also
\nhouses several other institutions, including Galeri Lontar, the
\nInstitute for the Studies on the Free Flow of Information (ISAI)
\nand private radio station Radio 68H.<\/p>\n
Hard-line Muslim elements have been pushing for the eviction
\nof JIL since the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued its much-
\ncriticized fatwa banning liberal concepts of Islam, secularism
\nand pluralism in July.<\/p>\n
However, JIL members were not invited to Tuesday's meeting and
\nwere not given a chance to speak at a similar meeting held last
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
Previously, Heru said, religious activists at the Al-Muslimun
\nmosque accused ISAI, Radio 68H and Galeri Lontar of being under
\nthe JIL umbrella for similarly promoting liberal Islam,
\nsecularism and pluralism.<\/p>\n
Eventually, the right-wing Islamist groups began calling for
\nthe eviction of JIL. A bulletin board in front of the mosque
\ndisplayed the MUI edicts, as well as accusations against JIL.<\/p>\n
Tandjung and 27 other mosque leaders in the area, claimed that
\nJIL had been outlawed as a result of the MUI fatwa and their very
\nexistence was thus causing the "locals to become restless".<\/p>\n
Despite his claims, several residents in the area said that
\nthey were not fully aware of the issue and did not feel a bit
\nrestless until Tuesday's meeting.<\/p>\n
"We just recently heard that JIL has a different opinion to
\nthat of the Muslims," explained Dina, who lives just two houses
\nfrom the mosque. "But, basically, we are not bothered by it. It
\nhas nothing to do with our daily routines."<\/p>\n
Last month, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) had reportedly
\nplanned to attack the JIL office, but that fizzled out as the
\nbuilding was tightly guarded by police officers.<\/p>\n
Prominent lawyers Todung Mulya Lubis, Nono Anwar Makarim and
\nAdnan Buyung Nasution serve as JIL's legal representatives.
\n"However, we do not think legal action against them would do us
\nany good. It is just a precaution," said one of the JIL founders,
\nNong Darol Mahmada.<\/p>\n
As of Wednesday afternoon, Ustadz Tandjung, who had planned to
\nvisit JIL's headquarters to verify the group's legal standing and
\nother documents, failed to turn up.<\/p>\n
The Utan Kayu Community continues to strive to give support to
\nJIL and any threat against them.<\/p>\n
"This is more than just taking a stand for what we believe,
\nthis is a threat to the freedom of thought and expression in this
\ncountry," Heru said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hard-liners-want-jil-evicted-before-ramadhan-1447893297",
"image": ""
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