'Vandalism embarrasses Muslims'

At least two known vigilante groups have been conducting raids and trashing entertainment spots across Greater Jakarta during Ramadhan fasting month. Although Jakarta Police said they objected to the vandalism, the police only guarded the raid and had yet to arrest any of the groups' members. The Jakarta Post asked some residents about their opinion on the vandalism.

Buchari Hanafi, 34, a notary in Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang. He lives in Pancoran, South Jakarta:

As a Muslim, I think what these people do is a slap in the face to all Muslims because Islam is a peaceful religion and doesn't encourage vandalism.

These people have wrongly interpreted the do's and don'ts of Islam.

They fail to see that even the implementation of sharia in Muslim countries is in the hands of law enforcement officials, not the general public.

In Indonesia it has its own legal system, government, and law enforcement institutions and no one has the right to take the law into their own hands.

Brian, 30, is an administrative employee at a foreign insurance company on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta. He lives in a rented home in Salemba Bluntas, Central Jakarta:

I am very concerned to hear many reports about vandalism and violent actions of these groups. It is irony to see that the groups have exerted violence in the name of religion, though, we all know that no religion will tolerate violence in their teachings.

Any form of violence will only victimize the innocent. In the case of the closure of Sang Timur school used as a house of worship, it's the students who have become the victims as they could not study.

In the case of vandalism to entertainment spots, the low- income workers are mostly affected by the closure of businesses.

I hope all concerned parties could sit in a dialogue to seek an amicable solution for the problems.

--The Jakarta Post