Artists accused of blasphemy

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.