Religious complex, brothels form uneasy neighbors

Religious complex, brothels form uneasy neighbors

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The city administration says it is determined to push ahead with
the construction of the Jakarta Islamic Center in Kramat Tunggak,
North Jakarta -- an area that was previously home to hundreds of
brothels -- so as to thwart the return of prostitutes to the
locality.

"We've already finished the first-stage construction of the
grand mosque. We will continue the project next year by
constructing more buildings," said Djaelani, the manager of
Islamic Center project, at City Hall on Wednesday.

The center will have a 14,000-square-meter training center
equipped with a language laboratory, classrooms, a library and a
seminar hall. It will also have 21,000 square meters of
commercial space, comprising a hotel, convention center and
gallery.

Once the center is complete, it will be able to host Islamic
cultural and religious activities, as well serving as a center
for Islamic studies.

Djaelani estimated that the construction of both the training
center and the commercial premises would cost around Rp 180
billion (US$19.78 million).

"Hopefully, the whole complex will be ready for use in 2007,"
he said.

He said the project had faced financial constraints. "We have
had to rely solely on the city budget so far. Therefore, we would
invite the public and other Islamic countries to help finance the
center's development."

The administration spent Rp 110 billion on land acquisition
and the construction of the three-story mosque, which it is
estimated can hold 20,000 people. The mosque also has a 66 meter
by 66 meter main prayer hall that can accommodate 7,000 people.
There are no pillars, with the "space frame" construction
technique being employed. The mosque has been open to the public
since October 2002.

Djaelani said the main reason for finishing the project was to
change the image of the area from a red-light district to an area
associated with religious activities.

"Governor Sutiyoso has thrown his weight behind the completion
of the project," he said.

The Kramat Tunggak red-light district was closed by the
administration in September 1999.

However, the area near the mosque is now occupied by street
vendors, with sex workers still to be seen plying their trade.

"I have asked North Jakarta Mayor Effendy Anas to help
relocate the street vendors and the sex workers. I don't want to
see the positive image of the area that we have been trying to
build up being destroyed," Djaelani said.