More criticisms heaped on anticommunist groups<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Literary figures and critics joined on Tuesday
\nthe chorus of verbal attacks on anticommunist groups who had
\nthreatened to raid bookstores and burn books on communism on May
\n20.<\/p>\n
\"This threat to burn books, and threaten bookstore owners who
\nprovide books on communism, blocks the rights of the general
\npublic to freely gain information on the matter,\" well-known
\ntheater figure Ratna Sarumpaet, of the Alliance for the Freedom
\nof Thought and Speech, said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"If such a threat is ever carried out, it will be remembered
\nas an act to weaken minds, and in total contradiction of our
\nConstitution and religious teachings. Our religious teachings
\nstate that reading is an obligation.\"<\/p>\n
Ratna said that Prophet Muhammad himself had stated: \"Iqra!
\nThis means Read! To burn books therefore, is contradictory to our
\nown religious teachings.\"<\/p>\n
Ratna demanded that security personnel take strict action
\nagainst anybody who raids bookstores or burns books.<\/p>\n
\"Those people must be stopped from preventing the people's
\nefforts in educating this nation,\" Ratna said.<\/p>\n
The alliance comprises members from the Indonesian literary
\ncircle, non-governmental organizations, critics, publishers and
\nbookstore owners.<\/p>\n
Bookstores across Jakarta, including the country's largest
\nbookstore chain Gramedia, has removed dozens of leftist titles
\nfrom its shelves in response to the threats, primarily made by
\nthe Islamic Youth Movement (GPI).<\/p>\n
The GPI falls under the Anticommunist Coalition (AAK), a
\ncoalition of 33 Muslim groups, which burned works by Nobel prize
\nnominee Pramoedya Ananta Toer, among others, last month.<\/p>\n
GPI has said that it will raid major bookstores in the capital
\non May 20 to commemorate National Awakening Day.<\/p>\n
Also condemning the anticommunist campaign are Betawi (ethnic
\nnative Jakartans) leaders who have urged their people not to join
\nany such campaign, which threatens to destroy the Tugu Tani, a
\nstatue of a pair of farmers in Kwitang, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
One of the farmers depicted in the statue has a rifle in his
\narm, considered as representative of the ideology of the now-
\nbanned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Betawi Collective Body (Bamus) Abdul Syukur
\nurged the Betawi community not to take part in anything aimed at
\ndemolishing the statue.<\/p>\n
Separately, newly installed City Police chief Insp. Gen.
\nSofjan Yacob said on Tuesday that he had ordered his intelligence
\npersonnel to call upon the leaders of the AAK, in connection with
\ntheir threat to raid bookstores and burn books on communism.<\/p>\n
\"What AAK is planning on doing, is against existing
\nregulations. The only body permitted to conduct raids of any
\nkind, is the police,\" Sofjan told reporters after his induction
\nas the new city police chief.<\/p>\n
\"On which legal basis do the GPI plan to conduct these raids?
\nI will not make any compromises for anything done outside the
\nlaw,\" Sofjan said.<\/p>\n
He added that he would not immediately take any stern action
\nagainst the AAK, but would first try to dissuade them from
\ncommitting any illegal action.<\/p>\n
In response, a chief of the GPI, Rachmat Hanan, said on
\nTuesday that his group had nothing against being called to
\n\"discuss matters\" with the city police.<\/p>\n
\"We are ready to meet with city police officers, to discuss
\nwhat we might do ... we have no problem with that. This is a
\nmatter of great concern to us, because it effects our own
\npeople,\" Rachmat told The Jakarta Post over the phone.<\/p>\n
\"Communist teachings are being read by our young people, and
\nthis is wrong. A lot of our youths have been trapped by this.\"
\n(ylt\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-criticisms-heaped-on-anticommunist-groups-1447893297",
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