Police find it difficult to ban 'tablig akbar'

Police find it difficult to ban 'tablig akbar'

YOGYAKARTA (JP): A noted sociologist said the police could not
issue an official ban on Muslim gathering, locally called tablig
akbar', unless the gathering is proven to be organized to
generate anarchy.

Lambang Triyono of the Gadjah Mada University here said on
Wednesday that the police could not, in general, prohibit people
from organizing such an event.

"Basically, recent tablig akbar gatherings were aimed at
putting political pressure on the government over its handling of
sectarian clashes in Maluku," he said.

However, Lambang stressed that in the reform era, in which
democracy is flourishing, political pressure through mass rally
was no longer effective.

"Now people can easily demand a dialog with the government and
use political channels such as the House of Representative or
provincial legislative council."

Lambang was responding to debate on the use of mass
demonstrations to press the government for certain goals. Mass
gatherings over the past two weeks ended in rioting.

Police in this sultanate town have banned any mass gathering
following attacks on at least seven churches which marred a
peaceful rally on Sunday to condemn violence in Maluku.

National Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo said in Bandung on
Tuesday that police could not issue an official ban on tablig
akbar despite the fact the forum had frequently resulted in
riots.

"The purpose of tablig Akbar is noble, such as fund raising
and collecting medicines for victims of violence in certain
places," he said at the Indonesian Air Force Staff and Command
School in Bandung.

But Rusdihardjo said a ban could be issued by local police,
depending on the situation.

He acknowledged that certain groups of people had used such
gatherings for promoting violence and rioting.

A Muslim solidarity gathering at the National Monument in
Jakarta early last month reportedly was incited to cries for
jihad. Police have questioned a man concerning the rally.

Lambang said the police should learn how to prevent tablig
akbar from being used by certain people to organize others for
destructive actions.

He acknowledged that almost all tablig akbar had been
improperly influenced by certain political groups as political
tools to destabilize the country. "At least, their propaganda
could be conveyed to the people in the gathering."

"The target is the government. The instigators want to attack
the government. So, from this point of view, tablig akbar has
nothing to do with the efforts to overcome the sectarian
conflicts in Maluku," he said.

Lambang disagreed with Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo on the purpose of
tablig akbar to raise funds.

"Who knows the money is used to buy weapons or to transport
the jihad militia?" he said. (43/27/sur)