FPI urged to disband to restore Islam's tarnished image

FPI urged to disband to restore Islam's tarnished image

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Over 2,000 demonstrators of several non-governmental groups
(NGOs) called on Wednesday the dissolution of the radical Islam
Defenders Front (FPI), saying that the incessant raids on
nightclubs and entertainment centers had tarnished the image of
Islam.

"Violent raids and anarchy carried out by FPI's recent raids
cannot be tolerated as it's against the law and the teachings of
Islam. Don't make Islam a part of the group's interests," said Al
Habib H. Ahmad Nizar, head of the consulting committee of the
Nation Defenders Front (FPN).

FPN is one the groups that came to city police headquarters to
support the charges being laid against FPI.

Habib Ahmad Nizar, popularly known as Habib Aan, urged the
police to start legal proceedings in order to bring all suspects
to court.

"We support the city police's action of charging those
responsible for the anarchy," he said.

Habib Aan said that he also wanted to reprimand FPI commander
Habib Rizieq Shihab over stating the possibility that FPI had
been controlled by other unscrupulous groups, which were out to
ruin Islam's image.

Another group voicing a similar concern was Ansor, the youth
wing of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), one of the largest Muslim
organizations in the country.

Tatang Hidayat, who leads the group, said Ansor members took
part in the rally following a statement from NU chairman Hasyim
Muzadi, who is against FPI's raids.

Also participating in the rally were hundreds of employees
from nightclubs around the city.

Nuke, an employee of a karaoke club in Blok M, South Jakarta
bluntly called the raids "uncivilized".

"They continuously threaten our business to shut down for a
full month (during the Islamic fasting month). They simply stop
our source of income and give us no alternative," said Nuke.

The groups staged a rally at city police headquarters
following a report that the police planned to question Rizieq
about the recent violence and similar attacks over the past two
years.

Some representatives from the group met with city police chief
Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara in support of the police's move to
stop FPI's string of violence.

Rizieq will be questioned next Wednesday.

Last weekend the Central Jakarta Police arrested 13 FPI
members following recent attacks by the organization's activists
on a number of nightclubs and billiard halls in Jakarta last
Friday. Five members were released, while the other eight were
charged with violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code on
disturbing the peace for taking the law into their own hands.

According to the Criminal Code, those convicted of
deliberately or jointly using overt violence against people or
property are subject to a maximum sentence of five years and six
months in prison.

On Wednesday, Indonesian Military spokesman May. Gen. Sjafrie
Sjamsoeddin also came to the city police headquarters to meet
Makbul.

"I just come here to renew my driver's license," Sjafrie told
reporters.

Sjafrie was tightlipped when asked to comment on whether his
visit was linked to the police's plan to question the FPI leader
amid the allegations that the military was behind the group.

However, city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam
brushed the allegations aside, saying that Sjafrie was just
paying a normal courtesy call on the police chief.

FPI has become notorious in the capital for its raids on
nightclubs and entertainment centers. This year the group has
launched at least four raids on several entertainment spots
around the city.