KB-UI students to hold 'tarawih' at Atma Jaya campus

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of students grouped in the Big Family of University of Indonesia (KB-UI) will hold a breaking of the fast gathering and tarawih (Ramadhan evening prayer) inside the Atma Jaya Catholic University on Saturday, its executives said.

Ahmad and Deddy Syahputra of KB-UI said on Friday that the clarification of the venue was needed as some of the media had mistakenly reported that the event would be held on the streets in front of the campus near the Semanggi cloverleaf.

"The event is meant to commemorate the 43rd day of the death of our friends who were killed (by troops) in last month's Semanggi incident," Ahmad told The Jakarta Post.

According to Ahmad, the event will only consist of breaking the fast, the Maghrib (dusk) prayer, the Isya (evening prayer) and Tarawih.

"That's all, and no more. All of the students will return home right after that in a peaceful way. I can guarantee this," insisted Ahmad, who will be in charge for the event's security.

Ahmad regretted reports in the Republika daily that stated the KB-UI gathering would be staged at the Semanggi cloverleaf.

The front-page report on Thursday was also run with comments from noted Muslim figures, including Nurcholish Madjid, who labeled the scheduled prayer as an attempt to deviate Islamic teachings.

"It's bid'ah (misleading). The (Muslim) people pray in mosques, not on the street," Nurcholish said.

In response, Ahmad said the report was totally wrong.

"I'm myself Muslim, and all of the congregation will, of course, be Muslims. We know the rules. That's why we have no plan to pray on the streets at the Semanggi cloverleaf, which would only disturb other people," he said.

The students participating in the gathering will depart from UI's campus at Salemba in buses starting from 3 p.m., he said.

"It's estimated to last until 10 p.m.," Ahmad added.

According to Deddy, chief coordinator for the gathering, KB-UI did not need to notify the police as the event was just a prayer, similar to those held by many parties at many similar places.

Besides, he said, the host -- Atma Jaya University -- had already given its strong support for the gathering.

"It's also open for the public," Deddy said.

Suggestion

When contacted on Thursday evening, City Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, who probably referring to the early reports, called on the KB-UI students to put off the plan to commemorate the Black Friday incident at the Semanggi cloverleaf.

"This activity could disturb the general public. It could block other people's way home and interrupt their activities, such as the Muslim evening prayers," he said in a breaking of the fast gathering at the City Military Command.

"The students can move their activity to another location or inside the building," Noegroho suggested.

In November, eight demonstrating students and two civilians were fatally shot by security forces during one the massive student rallies that month, on Nov. 13.

When asked to comment, City Military commander Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman said he had nothing to comment on about the students' plan but reminded them that security forces were obliged by law to face anybody attempting to disrupt public order.

"I cannot comment on it as it's still just a plan. I'm not racking my brains thinking about it," he said while leading the command's 49th anniversary ceremony on Thursday morning.

But Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid said he did not see any problems with the students' plan.

"I would just agree. It's just a prayer after all, isn't it?" asked Abdurrahman, who was quoted by Antara on Thursday.

"Just let it be. Let Noegroho Djayusman take care of any headaches which may result from the plan," he said.

Separately, Muslim activist Sumargono expressed concern over the use of religious symbols for political ends, which he believed would tempt trouble.

"If they want to mark the 40th day of the Semanggi incident, they should do it somewhere else, not by mixing it with an Islamic prayer because Islam doesn't recognize the marking of 40th day, 10th day or 1,000th day of anyone's death," he said. (bsr/ivy/aan)