House opposes raids against leftist books<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives gave a moral boost
\non Tuesday to groups of people who have defended their right to
\nread and write books on communism, Marxism, or Leninism.<\/p>\n
Receiving hundreds of students and activists from the Alliance
\nfor Freedom to Think and Speak (AKBB), House Deputy Speaker
\nMuhaimin Iskandar and House Commission II for home and legal
\naffairs deputy chairman Hamdan Zoelva expressed support for their
\ncause.<\/p>\n
Muhaimin and Hamdan termed the planned removal of leftist
\nbooks an anarchic action that ought to be stopped.<\/p>\n
They noted that only security officers had the right to
\nconduct a raid.<\/p>\n
\"We all agree that searching for and removing books by any
\ngroup is an anarchic action that violates the regulations. We
\ncondemn such action. The people should learn to trust the law
\nenforcement process,\" Muhaimin said.<\/p>\n
Hamdan added that although he was against the production of
\nleftist books, he totally disagreed with the plans to search for
\nand remove them.<\/p>\n
\"Although, personally I reject the production of books that
\npromote communism, we should teach people to respect the law, as
\nit would be very dangerous if people continued to take the law
\ninto their own hands,\" Hamdan said at the meeting.<\/p>\n
He added that the House will ask for a consultation meeting
\nwith the National Police chief concerning the threats and planned
\nraids.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students, joined by noted scholar Franz Magnis
\nSuseno and noted women activists Ratna Sarumpaet and Jajang C.
\nNoer, staged rallies here, protesting the planned raids.<\/p>\n
They started the rally in front of the National Police
\nheadquarters in South Jakarta, and then moved to the House
\ncompound to seek support from the House.<\/p>\n
Several organizations also joining the rally included the
\nMuhammadiyah youth organization and the students' executive board
\nof the Syarif Hidayatullah State Institute of Islamic Studies.<\/p>\n
The controversy over \"leftist\" books started early this month
\nwhen a group of people called the Islam Youth Movement (GPI)
\nthreatened to conduct raids against those books on May 20 to
\ncommemorate National Awakening day.<\/p>\n
To anticipate the threat, many major book stores across the
\ncountry removed those books from their shelves and the police in
\nseveral provinces even \"helped\" by collecting them from the
\nstores for \"safekeeping\".<\/p>\n
However, so far the police have yet to conduct any action
\nagainst those launching the threats, even though this has caused
\nanxiety among the people. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-opposes-raids-against-leftist-books-1447893297",
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