Ban on celebration of 'Imlek' still effective

Ban on celebration of 'Imlek' still effective

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has so far issued no new
regulations governing Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in the
capital, meaning that the government's ban on the Imlek festival
is still effective, an official said on Monday.

Tongam Tambunan, a senior executive of the city public order
office, said that his office had so far received no single
instruction from Governor Sutiyoso on whether or not the Jakarta
authorities would allow the ethnic Chinese to celebrate the once-
a-year fiesta in line with the massive reform movement.

"Therefore, we'll stick to the existing regulation," he said.

"But it's for certain that we won't prohibit those who want
to pray at temples," Tongam added quickly.

"We will not ban people from performing their religious
rituals," he insisted.

For years the administration has banned the Imlek celebration
on the basis of 1967 Presidential Instruction No. 14 on Chinese
religion and beliefs, and a letter from the Ministry of Religious
Affairs.

According to the instruction, the Chinese New Year is not a
Buddhist holiday and may not be celebrated at Buddhist temples.

Buddhism is one of several religions that have been officially
recognized by the government, while Confucianism has not yet been
given the official stamp. Thus, many Chinese-Indonesians have had
to choose Buddhism as their religion against their better wishes.

But Tongam believed that the prohibition, which is still
effective, will not stop the Imlek revelers celebrating the Lunar
New Year, which falls on Tuesday.

"We hope that they'll adjust to the recent situation," he
said, referring to the series of riots, looting and arson that
affected mostly Chinese properties.

He said he strongly believed that the Chinese-Indonesians must
show self-awareness and not hold big parties for Imlek this year
"as the country is still suffering many kinds of crisis and
unrest or riots based on ethnic and trivial issues could easily
erupt" at any time any day.

As if aware of the still unfavorable situation, the ethnic
Chinese here on Monday made no special preparation for the
celebration as seen at many Buddhist temples in the city.

A number of Buddhist temples erected along Jl. Lautze in
Central Jakarta even closed their gates.

According to the temples' leaders and elders, the Imlek this
year will be celebrated in a modest fashion.

Hidayat, 60, elder of Vihara Buddhayana, said that for the
sake of security the temple leaders had decided not to hold the
annual Imlek midnight prayer and would not place and light the
hundreds of gigantic red candles as usual.

"The temple will be closed at 6 p.m. and will be reopened at 6
a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday). People won't see hundreds of big candles
which light the temple at midnight.

"Actually we regret the decision because the candle lights are
a symbol of a bright future, but security is more important than
that," he said.

Hidayat said that the temple's congregation have also been
urged not to wear extravagant clothes and accessories in
celebrating the festival.

The elder said that other temples at Petak Sembilan in Kota
and Mangga Besar in West Jakarta are also applying the same
conditions.

Mujihartoyo, elder of the Tri Ratna temple in Gang Tepekong,
said his temple would light a number of small candles during the
celebration. (ind)