FPI members raid nightspots
FPI members raid nightspots
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
About 650 members of the radical Islam Defenders Front (FPI)
launched a violent raid early Friday morning against nightspots
and billiard centers here, while police did nothing to prevent or
stop the violence.
The FPI pelted and smashed glasses and property of Eksotis
discotheque in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta, and two billiard
centers in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, with wooden sticks.
The civilian group, however, failed in its attempt to cause
damage to Hailai in Ancol, North Jakarta, because people from the
building management approached members of the group and managed
to calm them down.
FPI launched the raids to protest against nightspots and
entertainment centers operating while Muslims were observing Isra
Mir'aj, or Ascension Day of Prophet Muhammad.
They also alleged that the establishments not only served
alcoholic drinks, but that drug transactions also transpired on
the premises.
Dozens of police officers in trucks, patrol cars and
motorcycles witnessed the vandalism, but did nothing to prevent,
let alone stop the raids, and observed from a distance.
Brig. Suhandi of the Sawah Besar Police substation confirmed
the incident.
"So far the police have arrested none of the assailants in
connection with the violence," said the officer.
He was reluctant to comment further on the incident.
Friday's raids were the fourth in a series of raids on
nightspots by the group here this year.
FPI has become notorious for its violent raids on nightspots
and entertainment centers, which they believe are centers of
sinful acts (maksiat).
A legal expert at the University of Indonesia, Topo Susanto,
blasted the raids and said they were criminal acts.
"Whatever the reason, the deliberate destruction of another's
property is obviously a crime," Topo asserted.
He said that such an offense was subject to Criminal Code
Article No. 170 on the deliberate destruction of other people's
property, which carries at maximum seven-year prison sentence.
However, Topo said the recurrent raids by FPI also indicated
the government's failure to ensure legal certainty and uphold
public order.
"The excess (of such legal uncertainties) is that any group
may have its own interpretation of the law and in turn take the
law into their own hands amid the police's failure to enforce
prevailing laws," he said.
Topo warned that such violent raids would recur as many groups
could justify the use of violence for their own interests.
In a previous raid at the end of June on Jl. Jaksa in Central
Jakarta, over 100 FPI members armed with sticks, machetes and
swords attacked seven bars along the road, which is a popular
hangout for expatriates. They smashed billboards and empty beer
bottles.
Police summoned FPI members for questioning, but no arrests
have been made for any of the raids.