Chaos mars Idul Adha celebration at Istiqlal

Chaos mars Idul Adha celebration at Istiqlal

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The annual Idul Adha celebration, which constitutes the
distribution of sacrificial beef and goat meat to the poor, was
again marred by looting on Wednesday at Istiqlal Mosque in
Central Jakarta when hundreds of residents broke the queue and
took the meat.

Meanwhile, hundreds of faithfuls on Tuesday were denied the
Idul Adha prayers, as they received false information that there
would be a mass prayer at the eastern parking lot of the Bung
Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Although the government had officially declared that Idul Adha
fell on Wednesday, several Islamic organizations, especially
Muhammadiyah, decided to celebrate the holiday on Tuesday
instead.

The incident at Istiqlal Mosque started when mosque officials
distributed some 2,000 coupons to the crowd after the Idul Adha
prayers. The coupons were to be exchanged with a portion of the
sacrificial meat from goats and cows that had been slaughtered
earlier.

After the coupons had all been distributed, there still
remained hundreds of people who had not received a coupon. They
joined the queue anyway, and insisted that they also be given a
share of the meat, as reported by online news provider
www.detik.com.

"Pak, give us the meat," the crowd, most of whom were
teenagers, shouted at the distribution officials.

The officials, however, did not pay attention to those who did
not have coupons.

The impatient crowd then broke through the 2-meter fence
between themselves and the officials, and started looting the
remaining meat. Even police officers from the Central Jakarta
Police precinct could do nothing to bring them to order.

Such incidents have become routine during the annual Day of
Sacrifice. In 2001, the crowd broke through the fence to get at
the meat as soon as the sacrificial animals had been slaughtered.

Istiqlal Mosque slaughtered seven cows on Wednesday for the
public, while another six are to be slaughtered on Thursday for
private institutions and foundations.

Similar sacrificial activities of slaughtering goats and cows
and distributing the meat could be found at almost every mosque
in the city.

Meanwhile, the City Husbandry, Fishery and Maritime Affairs
Agency warned residents to be careful in consuming the internal
organs of the cattle, such as the lungs or the liver, as they had
received reports of parasites found in the internal organs.

"We received several reports saying that parasites were found
in the internal organs, although the meat was unaffected," head
of the agency's veterinary health division, Suwardi Rahmat told
Antara news agency.

"It is quite difficult to detect parasites before the animal
is slaughtered."

He also said that his field officials had prevented the
infected internal organs from being distributed, although he did
not reveal where his officials had met with such cases.

The agency estimated that 3,500 cows, 100 bulls, 35,000 goats
and 1,000 sheep had been sacrificed this year in Jakarta alone.

Taking opportunity of the day off, many residents visited
public cemeteries to pay their respects to the dead, although
fewer in number compared to Idul Fitri.

Jakartans also visited popular tourist spots, such the Jaya
Ancol Fantasy Park in North Jakarta.

The residents enjoyed various attractions available in the
complex, such as Marina Beach and Festival Beach, Sea World,
Dunia Fantasi, Ancol Swimming Pool and Ancol Sea.

Residents, however, complained that there were not enough
facilities available, such as garbage cans and benches.