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Indonesia: Government of city of Bekasi close down an Ahmadi mosque, allegedly at the demands of non-tolerant groups
Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal - April 10, 2013 (see sample letter below)
Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the information regarding the closing down of an Ahmadi mosque in the city of Bekasi, West Java. Since its establishment fourteen years ago, the mosque has been complying with the legal requirements prescribed by law. Authorities of the city of Bekasi referred to the joint ministerial decree which bans religious activities by the Ahmadi community as the reason of why the mosque was closed down yet there is suspicion that it was done at the demands of non-tolerant groups.
Case narrative:
Based on an interview held by the AHRC with one of the leaders of the Ahmadi congregation, around 100 members of the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) came to Al Misbah, an Ahmadi mosque located in Jatibening, Bekasi, on 4 April 2013 at around 6.30 pm. With the support from the police, the Public Order Agency installed corrugated sheet fence around the mosque to prevent the Ahmadi congregation to hold religious activities in it. The instalment of the fence left 40 members of the Ahmadi congregation locked inside the mosque. The police were present during the installation of the fence and provided support to the Public Order Agency. They gave the warning that any attempt to break the fence will be treated as a crime as it was installed upon the order of the Mayor of Bekasi city.
Previously on 14 February 2013 the government of city of Bekasi put a sign in front of the mosque prohibiting any activities to be conducted there. The sign cited several regulations prohibiting the Ahmadi including the Joint Ministerial Decree issued in 2008, Regulation of the Governor of West Java No. 12 Year 2011 and Regulation of the Mayor of Bekasi No. 40 Year 2011. Later in early March, government officials of City of Bekasi visited the mosque for the second time. It was told that the aim of the visit was to re-negotiate the closure of the mosque with the Ahmadi congregation. However, as the negotiation between the government officials and the representatives of Ahmadi community was ongoing inside the mosque, members of the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) locked the front gate of the mosque, indicating the government has officially 'sealed' the building. In addition to it, the Satpol PP locked the secondary and back ones, leaving some of the members of Ahmadi congregation who were still inside the mosque trapped. The AHRC was informed that the locked congregation members managed to get out through a hole made on the wall.
A leader of the affected Ahmadi congregation told the AHRC that there had never been any issue with the presence of the mosque until this year. All legal requirements prescribed by the law had been met by the Ahmadi congregation in establishing and maintaining the mosque since its establishment in 1999. The government of city of Bekasi claimed that they merely enforcing the law which prohibits the Ahmadi from conducting any religious activities but there is an allegation that the closure of the mosque was held upon the request of non-tolerant groups. The allegation was supported with the fact that members of Islam Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI) and Islam Defenders Troops (Laskar Pembela Islam, LPI) were present in all three mentioned occasions related to the plan to shut down the mosque. In addition to that, the AHRC has received an unconfirmed report revealing that local government officials themselves had admitted in closed meetings that there had been pressure from non-tolerant groups to close down the Ahmadi's mosque.
Please refer to the following video made by an independent journalist for further reference on the case.
Additional information:
The FPI is one of the most notorious non-tolerant groups in Indonesia whose members have been involved in the persecution and discrimination against religious minority groups. Towards the end of March this year, for instance, the AHRC published an urgent appeal regarding the demolition of a church by the authorities of Regency of Bekasi which was allegedly performed upon the request of the non-tolerant group. Last year, members of the Ahmadi in Batam were threatened, ill-treated and 'arrested' and the congregation in Singaparna had their mosque attacked by the FPI. All the wrongdoings perpetrated by the group in these cases were conducted with the acquiescence of the police officers.
Despite the common mistreatment of religious minority groups by the FPI, little have been done by Indonesian law enforcement officials to bring the members of the organisation to justice. Cases on attacks by the FPI towards religious minorities are hardly investigated and, if it is so, the punishment imposed on those who are responsible is very light and disproportionate. For example, a member of the group who was responsible for vandalising an Ahmadi mosque in Bandung, West Java, last year was sentenced only to 3,5 months imprisonment for property destruction.
Whereas Indonesia had a law on anti-discrimination, such law is applicable only for cases concerning racial and ethnic discrimination but not the religious one. Under the current available laws, religious discriminatory motive in committing crimes is not treated as an aggravating factor.
Suggested action:
Please write to the listed authorities below urging them to halt the infringement on the Ahmadi congregation's right to manifest their religion. Please ask the local government to repeal its order to shut down their place of worship and provide rehabilitation for the affected congregation.
The AHRC is writing separately to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief as well as the UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues.
To support this appeal, please click here: http://www.urgentappeals.net/support.php?ua=AHRC-UAC-060-2013.
Dear ___________,
Indonesia: Government of city of Bekasi close down an Ahmadi mosque, allegedly upon non-tolerant groups' request
I am aware that the fence instalment was not the only attempt of the government to stop the religious activities of the Ahmadi community in Jatibening. Earlier on 14 February 2013, the government put a sign in front of the mosque claiming the prohibition of religious activities by the Ahmadi. A month later on 8 March 2013, the government also ordered the Public Order Agency to lock the gates of the mosque preventing the members of Ahmadi congregation from holding mass prayers.
The city government argued that the closure of the mosque was only a conduct of law enforcement as the activities of Ahmadi are prohibited under various laws in Indonesia. However, I have been informed that there is an allegation that the closure of the mosque was ordered by the city government upon the request of non-tolerant groups such as the Islam Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI) and Islam Defenders Troops (Laskar Pembela Islam, LPI). This allegation, for instance, was based on the presence of the non-tolerant groups during the mentioned three occasions related to the closure of the mosque. In addition to that, the non-tolerant groups particularly the FPI has been involved in the persecution and discrimination against religious minority groups in the past. My local source also informed me that in closed meetings several representatives of the city government had admitted that there have been requests from the non-tolerant groups for the closure of the mosque.
I wish to remind you that as a state official, you have the obligation to provide equal protection for every member of society including those who belong to minority groups such as the Ahmadi. I regret that instead of educating the society at large on the importance of celebrating diversity and respecting each others' rights, you have decided to endorse the non-tolerance attitude expressed by particular groups.
I would like to emphasise that even if the allegation on the influence of non-tolerant groups to the decision on shutting down the mosque is not proven to be true, it does not diminish the fact that you have violated the right of the Ahmadi congregation to manifest their religion. The laws and regulations prohibiting religious activities of the Ahmadi that you have been referring in justifying the closing down of the mosque are discriminatory, unjust and not in compliance with the right to freedom of religion.
I am therefore urging you to provide rehabilitation to the Ahmadi congregation in Jatibening, Bekasi, whose rights had been violated by your decision to shut down their mosque. They should be allowed to conduct religious activities in it and any damage caused by your action should be covered by the state. Equally important, I am expecting you to withdraw the laws and regulations prohibiting the Ahmadi's religious activities and disregard any requests from non-tolerant groups to discriminate the Ahmadi and other minorities. Instead, anybody who incites others to discriminate minority groups should be prosecuted and punished in accordance with human rights standards.
I look forward to receive your adequate and swift response in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Please send your letters to:
1. Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of Republic of
Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 386 3777, 350
3088.
Fax: + 62 21 344 2223, 3483
4759
E-mail: presiden@ri.go.id
2. Ms. Harkristuti Harkrisnowo
General Director of Human
Rights
Ministry of Law and Human
Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav.
6-7
Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 525 3006, 525
3889
Fax: +62 21 525 3095
3. Dr. H. Rahmat Effendi
Mayor of City of Bekasi
Jl. Jendral Ahmad Yani No.
1
Bekasi
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 8896 1767 (ext.
107)
Fax: +62 21 8895 9980
E-mail: telematika@bekasikota.go.id
4. Gen. Timur Pradopo
Chief of the Indonesian
National Police
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta
Selatan 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 384 8537, 726
0306
Fax: +62 21 7220 669
E-mail: info@polri.go.id
5. Mr. Priyo Wydianto
Chief of City of Bekasi
District Police
Jl. Ki Hajar Dewantara No.
1
Cikarang 17550
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 8911 3533
6. Ms. Siti Nur Laila
Chairperson of the National
Human Rights Commission
Jl. Latuharhary No.4-B
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392 5227
Email: info@komnas.go.id
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
(ua@ahrc.asia)
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