Idul Fitri joy triumphs over downpour<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Heavy rains failed to dampen the exhilaration
\nfelt by Moslems celebrating the Idul Fitri holiday across the
\ncountry on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Decked-out adults and children braved the rains to say the
\nIdul Fitri prayer marking the end of the fasting month of
\nRamadhan.<\/p>\n
Umbrellas placed on mosque staircases provided a colorful
\nbackdrop for women worshipers clad in white mukena. Skipping over
\npuddles on the way to a mosque, a woman in Jakarta declared \"Let
\nthis rain wash away all of our sins.\"<\/p>\n
Thousands of wet Moslems gathered in the eastern parking lot
\nof Senayan to say their prayer and listen to a sermon by preacher
\nK.H. Zainudddin M.Z.<\/p>\n
\"This rain is a blessing for us, a reward for our devotion
\nduring the fasting month.\" Zainuddin preached, inviting shouts of
\nAllahuakbar (Allah is great).<\/p>\n
Rains also drenched merrymakers in Yogyakarta, Bandung,
\nManado, Kendari and Palu in Sulawesi, and many parts of Lampung.<\/p>\n
Many Moslems in Jambi province had to celebrate Idul Fitri
\nwhile sheltering from floods which have submerged many areas for
\ndays. Antara reported that some people paddled to the mosque on
\nplanks.<\/p>\n
In some mosques in Jakarta, the prayer had to be conducted
\ntwice in order to accommodate those who came late because of the
\nrains or could not enter to join the first service.<\/p>\n
The Islamic teaching says that Idul Fitri prayers should be
\nheld in fields so as many people as possible can attend. During
\nemergencies, however, they can be held inside mosques, and more
\nthan once.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto, Vice President Try Sutrisno and Mrs. Tuti
\nTry Sutrisno, and some cabinet ministers and foreign dignitaries
\nsaid their prayer along with thousands of Jakartans at the Grand
\nIstiqlal Mosque.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Chatib
\nQuzwain, said that Indonesia should use the momentum of the end
\nof the fasting month to accelerate its effort to alleviate
\npoverty.<\/p>\n
After the prayer, Soeharto received well-wishers from among
\nhis senior officials and relatives at his residence on Jl.
\nCendana.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), Hasan
\nBasri, expressed in his sermon at the Al Azhar Grand Mosque his
\ndeep concern about the \"anxiety-provoking moral degradation\"
\ncurrently plaguing Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesians should maintain ahlaqul karimah (good conduct),\"
\nhe said. \"Without it, any nation will collapse.\"<\/p>\n
Later, Idul Fitri festivities were held at the homes of
\ncabinet ministers in the Widya Chandra residential area in South
\nJakarta. The guests held up traffic as they visited Foreign
\nMinister Ali Alatas, Minister of Industry and Trade Tunky
\nAriwibowo and Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar
\nAnas.<\/p>\n
Several foreign dignitaries were seen at minister Alatas'
\nhome, including United Nations Development Program representative
\nCasper Jan Kamp, Canadian Ambassador Lawrence Dickenson and
\nBritish Ambassador Graham Burton.<\/p>\n
In Dili, the capital city of East Timor, Bishop Carlos Filipe
\nXimenes Belo congratulated Moslems in the region. He visited
\nchairman of East Timor chapter of MUI Abdullah Sagran, Dili
\npolice chief Lt. Col. Rachmad Effendi, and the local army chief
\nfor social and political affairs, Sjamsu Anwar.<\/p>\n
\"This visit is concrete proof of religious tolerance here,\"
\nsaid the secretary of the Committee of \"Iustitia Et Pax\" (Justice
\nand Peace) of the Dili diocese, Peter Tukan.<\/p>\n
\"Let's hope that such tolerance will continue,\" he was quoted
\nby Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung and chiefs of the
\nArmy, Navy, Air Force and National Police joined thousands of
\nMoslems in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, to pray at the Sabilal
\nMuhtadin Grand Mosque.<\/p>\n
Across Indonesia, the party started as soon as the call to
\ndusk prayer was sounded on Monday, the 29th day of Ramadhan
\nduring which Moslems abstained from drinking, eating and having
\nsex during the day.<\/p>\n
The eve of Idul Fitri, known here as Takbiran or the time for
\npeople to praise Allah, was marked with the sound of drums
\nbeating at mosques and the chanting of Allahuakbar until morning.<\/p>\n
In many parts of the country, Moslems expressed their
\nhappiness by holding impromptu parades -- cruising cities and
\nvillages on motorcycles, and in cars and trucks.<\/p>\n
Traffic accidents occurred in many cities. In Yogyakarta, at
\nleast 17 accidents took place, killing four and seriously
\ninjuring 68 people.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, West Java, two people died in the accidents. In
\nCirebon, one person died. (team)<\/p>",
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