Cases of radicalism, conservatism in 2005

Cases of radicalism, conservatism in 2005

April 10, 2005:A Muslim preacher, Wahfiudin, calls Trans TV to
tell it that popular rock group Dewa, which is performing live
on the private TV station, is standing on a calligraphic symbol
that resembles the character "A" for Allah. The symbol also
adorns Dewa's album cover for Laskar Cinta (Love Army).

April 14, 2005:The hard-line Anti-Apostasy Alliance (AGAP)
demands the Pasundan Christian Church halt Christian services and
proselytizing in Muslim areas and calls for the closure of all
"unlicensed" churches in West Java.

April 25, 2005: The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) reports Dewa to
police for the Arabic-looking script on Laskar Cinta, accusing it
of blasphemy and demanding a public apology from the group.

July 5, 2005: The FPI asks Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to clarify
his stance on gambling and transsexuals, accusing him of ignoring
the regulations that outlaw beauty pageants for transsexuals and
gambling.

July 15, 2005: Thousands of people from the Indonesian Muslim
Solidarity group attack the buildings of the Islamic sect Jamaah
Ahmadiyah (JAI) in Parung, Bogor, vandalizing and setting the
buildings on fire and driving out 500 JAI members.

July 29, 2005: The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issues 11
controversial fatwa, including those that ban Ahmadiyah and
liberalism, secularism and pluralism.

Aug. 5, 2005: The Islamic Defenders Institute (LPI) and the FPI
plan a protest in front of Radio 68H at Utan Kayu, East Jakarta,
after the station broadcast a radio talk show that criticized
them and MUI. Liberal Islamic Network (JIL) co-founder Ulil Absar
Abdalla had slammed MUI's edicts as "foolish".

Sept. 5, 2005: Islamic conservatives encourage Utan Kayu
residents to evict JIL from their area. They accuse the group of
disseminating heresy and warn it to close its office.

Sept. 7, 2005: The government decides to revise a controversial
joint ministerial decree on the establishment of houses of
worship.

Sept. 22, 2005: FPI reports actor Anjasmara, model Isabella and
photographer Davy Linggar to the Jakarta Police for allegedly
posing nude in a photographic artwork of Adam and Eve displayed
in the Bank Indonesia Museum, Central Jakarta.

Oct. 17, 2005:A Muslim militant group, led by Cholid Syaifullah,
attacks restaurants in the Central Java city of Surakarta for
selling alcoholic drinks during Ramadhan.

Oct. 16, 2005: FPI members clash with residents of Kalijodo, a
red-light district in West Jakarta, during a Ramadhan protest.

Oct. 28, 2005: Tension is high at the Jati Mulya housing complex
in Bekasi after Muslims insist Christians stop Sunday services
held in houses.

Nov. 4, 2005: The FPI forces restaurants and cafes in Kemang,
South Jakarta, to close on the first day of Idul Fitri.

Dec. 1, 2005: The Bali-based World Hindu Youth Organization
(WHYO) accuses noted filmmaker Garin Nugroho of a blasphemous
portrayal of the gods in his art film Opera Jawa (Requiem From
Java), scheduled for release in August 2006.

Source: The Jakarta Post