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)