Provinces brace for different Idul Fitri dates

Provinces brace for different Idul Fitri dates

JAKARTA (JP): Provincial authorities across the country are
bracing for two different Idul Fitri holidays with a call for
Moslems to maintain order and harmony.

Acting chief of the Religious Affairs Office of Central
Sulawesi, Muhammad Gudal, said yesterday that the local
administration would allow the Islamic community to celebrate
Idul Fitri one day earlier than the government calendar if they
choose to, Antara reported.

"We will not prevent them from celebrating the holiday on
Thursday (today) because it's part of their devotion. We just
don't want them to do it in such a way that they upset harmony
among Moslems," Gudal said in the provincial capital of Palu.

After a meeting with various Moslem organizations, the
government announced yesterday that Idul Fitri would fall
tomorrow. The 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem organization
has set the holiday for today based on mathematical calculations.

Idul Fitri marks the end of the Ramadhan fasting month. A mass
morning prayer is held on the holiday.

The Central Sulawesi administration issued a decree yesterday
in response to the different calendars, asking Moslems who intend
to celebrate the holiday today to refrain themselves from doing
anything that could spark hatred.

Another decree was announced yesterday by the Central Java
office of Muhammadiyah, calling on its members to maintain
tolerance with other Moslems who follow the official calendar
while celebrating Idul Fitri today.

The decree says Muhammadiyah members who work for the
government will have to keep working today, except those who have
received a permit to take leave.

"As good citizens, those who will celebrate Idul Fitri
Thursday must obey government rules," the decree says.

The provincial chief of Muhammadiyah, Abu Su'ud, hailed
Governor Soewardi for allowing the organization's members to hold
an early celebration, saying the local government's wisdom
brought relief.

In Banda Aceh, hundreds of police will be deployed to maintain
order during the two different holidays, provincial police chief
Col. Mochammad Rodja said yesterday.

"Despite the troops build-up, we believe that Moslems here
will not take the two different holidays seriously. The
distinction is normal and should not be exploited," Rodja said.
"It's more important to accept the difference and practice our
devotion according to our own faith."

With Idul Fitri approaching, business activities eased in most
major towns.

Many storekeepers in downtown Surabaya, East Java, decided to
close their shops yesterday because their employees took leave.

"We will resume our business three days after Idul Fitri next
Wednesday," said Soerono, a shop owner on Jl. Gemblongan Bubutan.

Housing complexes were also quiet yesterday, with some
residents entrusting their valuable belongings such as TV sets to
security guards.

Meanwhile, the exodus of holiday revelers reached its peak in
the past two days. In Java's western tip port of Merak, 59
people, mostly women and children, became unconscious yesterday
when thousands of people leaving for Sumatra rushed for seats on
ferries across the Sunda Strait.

Security guards and firemen were deployed to help the overcome
passengers out of the crowd.

Merak port manager, Ilham Nontji, said the number of people
leaving for Sumatra was beyond expectation. He said the figure
reached a record 77,877, breaking the previous figure of 66,000
three days ago. (amd)