'Lebaran' parades not allowed

'Lebaran' parades not allowed

SEMARANG: An official of the local religious affairs office has called on the Moslem community here not to greet the coming Idul Fitri holiday by holding processions.

"On the eve of Idul Fitri, it would be better if the public uses mosques and other sacred places to hold 'takbiran'," Soenaryo was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.

Indonesian Moslems traditionally greet the holiday by 'takbiran', chanting praises to Allah.

More and more people, however, combined the ritual with merrymaking such as holding processions around villages or riding in convoys of motorbikes or cars around the city. Not only does the new tradition congest traffic, it often causes accidents. (swe)