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.