Artists accused of blasphemy

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

They fight "infidels", they rail against city nightlife, and now they have turned their overzealous worldview against popular soft rock band Dewa.

However, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) is not the first group that has lashed out at artists over religion, accusing them of blasphemy.

Last year, musician and working-class hero Iwan Fals outraged the FIMHD, a Hindu organization, for putting an illustration of the Hindu God Vishnu on the cover of his album, Manusia 1/2 Dewa (Demigod).

Earlier in 2003, the same group, also protested against writer Dewi Lestari for putting the holy symbol of the Hindu God Omkara, on the cover of her novel, Supernova 2.1: Akar (Root).

Bowing to the pressure, Dewi, Iwan and Dewa changed their covers.

Soft rock band Dewa is now the object of rage from the FPI and several Muslim groups, which reported the band to the city police for contempt of religion on Tuesday, over the use of the word Allah written in Arabic on the cover of its Laskar Cinta (Soldier of Love) album.

The groups were also outraged when the band members put their feet (a cultural/religious sign of great disrespect) on the design during a gig, as it was emblazoned on the stage.

One of the most hostile flare-ups by religious groups against the entertainment/arts industry, was a contempt of religion verdict against Monitor tabloid, which included the banning of its publication. Its chief editor was sentenced to four and a half years in jail in 1990 for publishing a survey that measured the popularity of Prophet Muhammad compared to other figures.

Muslim scholars here are on the side of Dewa, however, in this spat.

Scholar and sociologist Muhammad Sobary says that arts, no matter how bad it is, is an effort to pursue and understand the existence of God.

"It's another form of dakwah (preaching). There's nothing wrong with putting Arabic language (on an album cover), it's beautiful and there is nothing blasphemous in it. Things would be different if the band used profanity and obscenity," he said.

Many Muslim clerics years ago, he added, banned music, sculptures and many other forms of performing arts.

"If we tolerate such extremism, arts won't develop," Sobary said.

Syafiq Hasyim from the International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP), said that hardline groups such as the FPI had no right to use religious arguments to attack others as this country is not based on a certain religion.

"Their objection is a debatable issue. It should be discussed through dialog. There should be no power to claim that it is right or wrong," he said.

While Dewa might be wrong for putting their feet on letters of the Arabic alphabet, he added, still there is no reason for any group to claim that such an act is blasphemy.

Syafiq suggested that the hardliners be allowed to file reports to the police, as they have the right to do so.

"If they are unwilling to hold a dialog and negotiate, let them be. Let the police follow up on the report, but they must do it professionally and consider it a regular report. And let the courts decide," he said.

Hardline groups will always exist and find ways to voice their beliefs, but it is not necessary to curb them, Syafiq said.

"The government and law enforcers need to keep them from resorting to violence and making use of them for their political interests," he added.

Sobary said the government should step up efforts to promote tolerance and understanding among people.

"It's up to the FPI to be anything they like, but don't created conflicts with others. There are many ways to understand God," he said.