Habib Riziq Beats a Retreat

Islamic Defenders Front, FPI, chairman Habib Riziq cancels plans to attend an event due to fear of being attacked.

Habib Riziq had planned to visit an Islamic boarding school in Demak, central Java, but there were rumours that his way to the school would be blocked by certain people hostile to the Front. Said the Islamic hard man:

The cancellation was done to ensure a calm atmosphere …

Comment by Rockstar: ‘Islamic Defenders Front, FPI, chairman …

MUI Claims Discrimination

… Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) says the government's plans to disband radical groups such as the Front Pembela Islam (FPI) and Forum Betawi Rempug (FBR) may be evidence the state seeks to protect the sinful.

The government's plans to dissolve some Islamic organisations which often carry out operations against places of sin must not give the impression that the government wishes to protect sin.
(Rencana pemerintah membubarkan sejumlah organisasi Islam tertentu karena sering, …

Radical Groups

… ministers held a meeting to discuss the handling of radical groups, presumably groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front, Betawi Brotherhood Forum, and others. Led by Widodo A.S, the Security minister, it was also attended by TNI chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto, police chief General Sutanto, and Internal Affairs minister M. Ma'ruf, among others, says kompas Kompas.

Widodo said mediaindo afterwards:

The legal appartus, the police, prosecutors, and attorneys, will take firm but fair …

Banning of the FPI

The police are likely to take the question of banning the Islamic Defenders Front, FPI, to the parliament.

On Monday in the west Java city of Cirebon several hundred Gus Dur loyalists, members of the NU (Nahdlatul Ulama), demonstrated over the Purwakarta incident of a few days previously, and demanded that the authorities disband the Front Pembela Islam (FPI), as well as the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI) and the Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia …

Comment by Nutz_Nice: … mngatasnamakn ISLAM)’s head. Cuz theirs aren’t …

FPI, Garda Bangsa, & Gus Dur

Pressure on the government and police to disband the FPI, Islamic Defenders Front is growing as the FPI and parts of the Nahdlatul Ulama are engaged in a running battle.

Hundreds of supporters of Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid rallied on Friday to demand the government disband the militant Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), or the Front Pembela Islam, which disrupted an appearance by the former president at an interfaith meeting a few days ago. Gus …

NU Mosques Subverted

… of the NU, Masdar F Mas'udi, while speaking out against violence and intimidation done by radical Islamic groups, made the interesting statement:

Recently hundreds of mosques built by NU people have been taken over by fundamentalist groups. The reason they give is that this is a house of god. They even say that the teachings of the NU are heretical.
(Akhir-akhir ini saja sudah ratusan mesjid yang didirikan jemaah NU diambil alih kepengurusan (ta'mir)-nya oleh kelompok-kelompok …

Comment by wiralaksamana: … among mazhabs in Islam happened since the death of …

Inter Religious Harmony

Former presidents of the country are not immune from the attention of hardline Islamic groups.

A discussion on inter religious and ethnic relations in Purwakarta, west Java, attended by former president Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), was targeted by militant Islamic groups such as Front Pembela Islam (FPI), Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), Forum Umat Islam (FUI) and Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI).

The dialogue was arranged by the youth wing of the Nahdlatul …

Debate on Morality Bill

… Antipornografi dan Pornoaksi (RUU APP)" was organised and attended by members of the following Islamic groups:

Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI), Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Persatuan Islam (Persis), Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Al Irsyad, Ikatan Da'i Indonesia (IKADI), Forum Betawi Rempug (FBR), Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah Indonesia (DDII), Front Pembela Islam (FPI), and the Badan Kontak Majelis Taklim (BKMT).

Muslims rally in Jakarta. …

Depok PKS Leadership

The city of Depok near Jakarta has been led by the Islamist PKS, Prosperous Justice Party (Partai Keadilan Sejahtera), for 100 days now. Their record in this time is coming under increasing attack.

Media Indonesia claims that the political elite and leaders of Muslim organisations in Depok are distinctly unimpressed with the leadership of the PKS duo of Nurmahmudi Ismail and Yuyun Wirasaputra, mayor and vice mayor respectively.

Depok …

Youth Political & Religious Affiliation

… might be heading in the country.

Friendster member who gives her affiliation as "sekarang ISLAM,,,besok ISLAM,,,,dan selamanya akan tetap ISLAM" (now Islam, tomorrow Islam, forever it will be Islam).

One of the ways that Friendster allows you to search for potential chums is by affiliation, where you can see what social, sporting, political, and religious associations the Friendster members claim to belong to or support. Restricting our search to country=Indonesia we can input …

Comment by Omar: … religiosity is a front for many of them while they …

Indonesian Newspaper Website Cartoons

… of the cartoons on the Rakyat Merdeka site came to the attention of the ever-vigilant Laskar Front Pembela Islam, or Islamic Defenders Front, who staged a protest in front of the newspaper's office and extracted an apology from the newspaper's editor.

The Jakarta police force are apparently also taking an interest in the matter and have declared they will investigate to ajudge whether the newspaper has violated the blasphemy law, recently employed in the case of Lia Eden.

In …

Protests at Danish Embassy, Jakarta

Protests at Danish Embassy, Jakarta over the Muhammad cartoon matter.

Our old friends the Islamic Defenders Front, who keep popping up, here and here, have shown what they are made of, thuggery and violence, by attempting to trash the Danish Embassy over the Prophet Muhammad Cartoons matter.

The Danish Embassy in Jakarta is on the 25th floor of a high-rise building so the men from the Front had to content themselves with creating mayhem, throwing chairs and smashing things, …

Islam vs Liberal Democracy

Perseus on Francis Fukuyama and whether Islamism will derail Indonesia's new democracy.

In a recent article, writing in reaction to Russia's recent "clobbering" of Georgia, the noted American political theorist Francis Fukuyama, best known for his work The End of History, tells us smh that

US dominance is slipping.

and the

Russian and Chinese model of authoritarianism and modernisation offers a clear …

Comment by Oigal: … serious about the Islam thing where you L?..thats too …

Radical Islam & Women

Maria Anshor of the Fatayat Nahdlatul Ulama says radical Islamic groups in Indonesia are an insignificant minority but that they threaten womens' rights.

Speaking at a conference in Helsinki, Finland, entitled Religion, Fundamentalism, and Gender under the auspices of an organisation called the International Peace Bureau (IPB), Maria Ulfah Anshor, a senior figure in the womens' wing of the NU, said that the activities of the radical …

Comment by Ulf: … world, not only in Islamic cultures. The reason why this …

Chinese Muslims

… Abdul Karim aka Oei Tjen Hien/Tjeng Hien (Haji Abdurkarim), a man from Padang who converted to Islam in 1929 and was thereafter active in Muhammadiyah and Masyumi. The mosque is run by his son, Ali Karim Oei, who claims that in Jakarta City ethnic Chinese make up about 20% of the 8 million population, and of these he estimates that 5% are Muslim.

Abdul Karim Oei Tjeng Hien.

One reason there is uncertainty over the number of Chinese Muslims, says Ali, is because such people are …

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … the bule is of islam) doesn’t really care if it was …

Oil Exploration, Production & Consumption

… eventually run out and Indonesia needs to start transitioning its economy for that inevitability.

Comment by DXP: … Tahir, Laskar Pembela Islam, FPI, JI Indonesia, …

Religion & Religiosity

… accusations of lures of instant noodle to make one convert. Not only that, even sects within Islam are now attacked, despite sharing the same God and the same Holy Book.

Many of us are not obeying the law but instead take matters into our own hands. We are bypassing God as the only rightful entity to judge and condone or condemn anyone. Attacks and burning down of churches, places of worship and even mosques of different Islamic faith from Indonesia's mainstream Islamic brand make …

Comment by dewaratugedeanom: … let it happen in front of everybody, these shameless …

Blaming the Victim & Others

… provocative speeches, saying such as things as

the FPI are Laskar Kafir (Infidels' Front) and Laskar Setan (Satan's Front).

Other provocations included the 'fact' that the AKKBB gathering was illegal, without police permission, and that one AKKBB person was carrying a weapon. beritasore

Tgk Faisal M Ali of the Himpunan Ulama Dayah Aceh (HUDA) in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) says the government needs to see the incident in a fully formed way, that the root cause is …

Comment by Lairedion: … imports like Islam and later Christianity and the …

Dewi Sandra

… Sandra, who is not Sandra Dewi, reassures her fans that she has not re-flipped on the religion front.

The mildly annoying singer Dewi Sandra was raised a Christian, but converted to Islam in 2000 in order to marry her first husband, Surya Saputra. This marriage was shortlived and Dewi in 2006 found love in the arms of another singer, Glenn Fredly, who is a Christian.

Dewi and Glenn expressing their love for each other.

When the singing couple married there had been …

Treason Acts, Trials & Penalties

… And in early April the trials of those men who had danced and waved RMS flags in front of president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in June of 2007 (see Dancing Separatists ) concluded, with the leader of the group, Johan Teterisa Alis Jhon alias Yoyo (46), being sentenced to life imprisonment. Sentences for others involved ranged from 15 to 20 years. antara

Islamic State

In several cities of West Java on 20th April the anti-terror squad Densus 88 arrested 20 men …

Ahmadiyah (Nearly) Banned

… was over and now they could be charged with deliberately and systematically blaspheming against Islam.

He asked people not to use violence against Ahmadiyah followers and any Ahmadiyah members who agreed to repent should be allowed to claim their property. inilah

Show of Strength

The Forum Umat Islam (FUI) plans to hold a "long march" in Jakarta, "Apel Sejuta Umat", on 20th April, from the Istiqlal mosque to the Presidential Palace, in order to convince the government to ban …

Comment by Rene Wadlow: … the Ahmadiyyat Islamic movement in Pakistan. Now, …

Siti Fadilah Supari

Siti Fadilah Supari, struggling for Islam and Indonesia against the hegemonic bules.

Health minister Siti Fadilah Supari spoke at a seminar hosted by the "Forum Kajian Sosial Kemasyarakatan" (FKSK) in Jakarta on 17th March and said that Islamic ideology was the most complete and was best suited for Indonesia.

"Forum Kajian Sosial Kemasyarakatan" (FKSK), is a front organisation for the radical group Hizbut Tahrir …

Comment by Lairedion: Islamic ideology was the most complete …

Bashir on Martyrs & Maggots

… musings have Australians upset.

An Australian student, Nathan Franklin, who is researching Islamic boarding schools in East Java, is said to have filmed a speech/sermon given by Abu Bakar Bashir on October 22nd 2007, in which the cleric rails against "infidel" tourists in Indonesia.

Toothy.

The story is all over the Australian media, and to a lesser extent, British, the Indonesian press don't seem to have picked up on it as of writing.

Filthy Tourists

The sermon was …

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … the tenets of True Islam do not apply to Javanese. Care …

Youth Groups & Activists Running Amok

… Batam.

There is a quote in the film " Ayat Ayat Cinta ",

Sabar dan ikhlas. Itu adalah Islam! (Patience and sincerity. That's what Islam is!)

There may be plenty of people who manage to live up to this, as far as is humanly possible, these people don't appear to be among them:

The Sport of Sweeping in Solo

In Solo/Surakarta on the night of 17th March a group of what are variously described in the media as "thugs", or "youths", or less harshly "local residents", were …

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … ONLY attracted to Islam because of halal sex with little …

Soft Islamization

The experts say soft Islam is sweeping the country, not hard Islam.

In a similar vein to Time's " Vespa Girls " story of 2007 the Economist says Indonesia is a place where "Where 'soft Islam' is on the march" economist The story begins:

Is Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country, undergoing creeping Islamisation?

Some examples of Islamic extremism, such as attacks on the Ahmadiyah …

Comment by agam: … in fact, islamist has reach an alarming rate of …

The Jakarta Pest

… of their class-hate creed!

Again, news took second place to JP prejudice with the huge front-page coverage given to the Q-Fest, a deviant film festival, (subsidized by a foreign NGO) with almost contemporaneous propaganda articles, a fulsome report on the vapourings of some Malaysian 'Adjunct Professor of Gender Studies' ( is that a real subject?) on how her fellow-countrymen (or '-persons?!?' ) should embrace cohabiting deviants by legalizing so-called 'gay marriage.'

Then …

Comment by Soeharja S.: … is an insult to Islam as well. I think that the …

Put Downs & Insults

… biggest democracy in the world, and the country with the largest number of adherents to moderate Islam.

APEC photo.

He deplored the fact that while Yudhoyono was in the back the leaders of Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines were in the front, and said he would question the Foreign Office to find out whether the placement was a deliberate intention by the Australian government to put down Indonesia. antara

Yuddy Chrisnandi, possibly with an Australian.

Meanwhile …

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … are envious of Islam successes, whatever they are. …

Aceh Abominations

… Muslims into the 21st century.

Last month, another disgraceful scene occurred in Indonesia, Islamic thugs wreaking havoc on innocent people going about their lawful business. The latest outrage took place in Aceh, where you get whipped for kissing and card-playing. But this time it wasn't the official sharia goon-cops.

Some people were relaxing in a café, the Café SC to be precise, in front of Cut Meutia Buket Rata Hospital, in Blang Mangat District. A gang of young louts …

Comment by Cukurungan: … indoctrinated that Islam is the truth since they were …

Yusron Mahmudi/Ainul Bahri

… from close range, after ordering him to get off the motorbike and squat on the ground, and in front of two of Shiddiq's younger siblings, Hilma Sofia, 2 years old, and Salman Faris, 5 years old. He also says Hilma, or a part of her, ended up being pinned under the motorbike, which fell.

Family man, with wife Sri Mardiati.

On 19th June, in response to Yusuf Shiddiq Abdullah's claims, the House of Representatives' (DPR) law commission condemned what they called "human rights …

Marriage Laws

… prevent Indonesian citizens from living according to the laws of their religion, in this case Islam. In Islamic law polygamy is permissible, says Insa. Because the law makes it difficult to obtain permission for polygamous marriages Muslims are forced to resort to semi-formal marriages ( kawin siri ), which are only partly recognised by the state, and cause problems for any resulting children. hukumonline

Insa has repeatedly tried to have a second marriage recognised by the …

Comment by purba negoro: … is to convert to Islam as it much quicker- less …

Muhammadiyah

… said that Muslims today were too concerned with side, fringe issues, they had forgotten why Islam had been sent to the earth. The centres of higher learning in the Muslim world did not produce work of any real value to the Islamic community, he said.

Syafii Ma'arif.

On the politics front Syafii Ma'arif said Muslims were still too susceptible to falling for the Left-Right dichotomy. Foreign imperialistic forces used the internal dissension this created to exploit the Muslim …

Comment by George Ricketts: … for the people. Islamic institutions and governments do …

Polygamous Marriage

A man is imprisoned for unlawful polygamy.

Riduwan, otherwise known as Iwan, 31 years old, from Jambi, was sentenced to ten months jail for taking a second wife without his first wife's permission. Riduwan falsified details on his (second) marriage certificate, giving the impression that permission had been given.

Although the ten month sentence was in accordance with the demands of the …

Comment by Acidio Wiseman: in Islam,it is not against the law if one …

Habib Umar

… Abu Bakar, said during a meeting with hundreds of his Indonesian counterparts at the Lirboyo Islamic school in Kediri, East Java, that Indonesian religious figures were too much involved in partisan politics and that they should pay attention to the needs of the faithful without regard to the latter's political preferences.

Habib Umar.

The elder statesman of the Hadhramis wiki , who appears to be a well-known Sufi scholar, reminded Indonesian Muslim leaders to focus on …

Comment by DesertLion: … The “Islamic way” is to expell them. Allah …

Sholat in Indonesian

… according to most Muslims although there has been some dispute over the matter in past times. islamlib

His use of Indonesian was brought to the attention of the authorities when the Malang branch of the Ulema Council, MUI, issued a fatwa against him. Malang Regent Sujud Pribadi and chief of the Malang Prosecutor's Office Ichdar Supi'i then moved to close down the Muslim boarding school which Roy headed, I'tikaf Ngaji Lelaku. gusdur.net

Yusman Roy, while preaching at the …

Comment by jamal: … aspects of islam would be unclear. The quran does …

Freedom of Religion Report

… and mass Muslim organizations rejected the Ahmadiyya [ Ahmadiyah, various] interpretation of Islam resulting in the discrimination and abuse of its followers. Religiously-motivated violence and vigilante acts in Maluku and North Maluku declined significantly, although, as in past years, Central Sulawesi experienced sporadic bombings, shootings, and other violence despite efforts to restore security and promote reconciliation. Government officials worked with Muslim and Christian …

RUU APP Stalled

… containing a total of 97 articles, some of which are considered to be draconian and reminiscent of Islamic law, and the second, cut down to only 26 articles dealing only with the publication and distribution of pornographic materials, and not with public behaviour or dress, are in circulation with confusion reigning over which one is to be deliberated on. It appears that the aforesaid committee is split, rather intractably, over the matter.

Upon being informed of the problem House chairman …

Comment by Mohammed Khafi: … Guided Caliphs. Islam has degenerated since Sunnah and …

Freedom To Demonstrate Law

… in recent times were shown in a film. Events shown in the film included the attack by the Islam Defenders Front on the office of Playboy magazine, politically motivated violence in Tuban in East Java, the 3rd May workers march on the DPR, and attacks on Ahmadiyah people in Lombok.

Survey Results

A survey says over a third of Indonesian Muslims desire an Islamic state, while half don't, among other things.

There have been very many reports in the local and international press about this survey, trumpeting how "moderate" Indonesians are. However when looking at the results, and the way the questions were asked, closely, the story is not as bright as some believe.

The survey, carried out by the Indonesian Survey Circle, was done across …

Nadine Chandra

… Universe contest in America last month and was reported to the police by the womens' wing of the Islam Defenders' Front, the Mujahidah FPI, see Nadine Chandrawinata. However in a press conference in Jakarta on the 15th Nadine said that if called to the police station, as a good citizen, she was willing and able to give an explanation.

Nadine Chandra.

Nadine admitted that upon hearing the news of her reporting to the police she was somewhat stressed but said she couldn't …

Comment by Karlira Kanakahuko: … English is to Islam in Indonesia while non-english …

TV Stations Uphold Correct Religion

… of theology and religious doctrine.

Siti Musdah Mulia, a lecturer at the Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, while speaking at a discussion "Media dan Keberagaman" held by the Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) in Jakarta, on 7th August, said that television news reports detailing the existence or activities of minority sects such as the Lia Eden cult and Ahmadiyah.

The media too often looks at the matter of those two groups from a theological perspective …

Love Thy Neighbour

… Ulama (NU), 59.1% were favourable to the Ulema Council (MUI), while 16.9% were admirers of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

August 27th, 2006.

The pdf of this survey has become available.

87.6% of respondents were Muslim, 10.4% Christian, 1.5% Hindu, 0.5% Buddhist. 39.8% Javanese, 14% Sundanese, 3.4% Malay, 3.9% Madurese, 3.7% Minang, 3.8% Bugis, 2.2% Betawi, 29.8% other.

Questions:

Are you bothered or not bothered if you live next to people who are...? …

Comment by DiN: … an example of what Islam could be, is fading away. How …

Noordin Top Hunt

… for Noordin M. Top in East Java.

The first reports of something major on the anti-terror front happening in the Mojokerto area of East Java came on 1st August. Some local people had noticed a number of unfamiliar men, who spoke Malay, wandering about near the Welirang mountain in Gondang regency. It appears the men were scavenging, stealing food and supplies from local people.

One local man suspected that one of the six was Noordin Mohammed Top, the most wanted man in …

Morality Law for Depok

… say sharia is not on the agenda for the national capital.

In Depok this week several Islamic groups urged the Depok Legislative Council to immediately deliberate and pass an anti-prostitution and liquor bill, modeled on that of nearby Tangerang city. The debating of the Raperda Pelacuran dan Raperda Minuman Beralkohol has been made a priority of the current session of the Depok parliament and will likely be shortly passed into law.

We will give whatever support is …

Comment by Orang Waras: Pardon me, but no Islamic countries with Sharia advance …

Israel & Lebanon

… groups, such as Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN), Persatuan Umat Islam (PUI), and Hizbut Tahrir, marched in Jakarta, gathering around the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, to demonstrate against Israel's attack on Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Also in attendance was the leader of the FPI, Islamic Defenders Front, Ustad Jafar Sidik. The Palestinian cause has aroused similar outpourings of Islamic solidarity in recent months.

Rally for Palestine. …

Comment by Hassan: … with God in Islam.

Gus Dur, Blasphemer

Ex-president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has been reported to the police for insulting Islam.

Gus Dur had previously stated that the Muslim holy book, the Quran, contained "pornographic" content, in that it dealt frankly with some sexual issues. Now, yesterday, as part of an ongoing feud (see Inter Religious Harmony and FPI, Garda Bangsa, & Gus Dur ), conservative and hardline Muslim clerics reported the matter to the police, as they are entitled to under Indonesian …

Comment by Anatoilet: … to talk sh*t about islam. He should have known better not …

Islamic State Fears

There are some who fear that an Indonesian Islamic state is imminent.

Speaking to a discussion on pluralism hosted by the Wahid Institute, a group set up to promote religious tolerance by former president Abudurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, institute executive director Ahmad Suaedy said Indonesia was very close to becoming an Islamic state.

He said that Indonesia will turn into a Islamic state if the government does nothing to counter …

Comment by Dragonwall: … 14th century when Islam was the major civilization on …

Governor Sutiyoso Speaketh

… Media Indonesia, plan to hold a meeting with the leaders of some controversial groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front and the various Betawi "forum" associations, on July 1st.

Governor Sutiyoso says he is more than willing to attend the meeting and, according to the Jakarta Post,

This problem has clearly been tormenting the public, but there will always be differences between people. What is to become of this nation if violence results from differences of opinion?

However, …

Madura as a Province

… separate from East Java, continues to gather steam. It finds most of its support from conservative Islamic groups and figures.

Madura is a dusty island just off the north coast of East Java, close to the provincial capital Surabaya. The people of Madura, the Madurese, are a peculiar group, quick to anger, stubborn, rough and ready, not on the whole very likeable, especially when they leave the island and settle elsewhere, which most of them have done. However Madura today retains a …

Preparatory Committee for the Application of Islamic Laws

… is bound up in the role of a group called the Preparatory Committee for the Application of Islamic Laws.

The Komite Persiapan Penegakan Sya-riat Islam was formed during the South Sulawesi Muslim Community Congress six years ago. This Congress elected one Abdul Azis Kahar Muzakkar, who is a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) in Jakarta, as the head of the Committee. This man has a firebrand radical lineage, being the son of Kahar Muzakkar, a leader of the …

Religious Freedom Report

… the past year, including murders, bombings, and mob violence. In some of these regions, militant Islamist groups appear to operate with relative impunity. Moderate Muslim leaders and members of religious minorities face pressure, intimidation, or sometimes violence from protestors organized by extremist groups, government officials, or members of the police and military. In addition, the government continues to restrict the construction and expansion of places of worship. Because of these …

Ratna Ani Lestari

… which included Nahdlatul Ulama Banyuwangi chapter head Masykur Ali, the NU's Ali Hasan and Islamic Defenders' Front chairman Gus Hasan, ended up conveying their demands to the governor's assistant, Chusnul Arifin, because Imam was out of town.

The group then left for Jakarta to take their case to Home Affairs Minister M. Ma'ruf and parliamentarians.

Members of the delegation accuse Ratna, a Muslim by birth, of blaspheming Islam for allegedly practicing a different religion from …

Islamic Mob Rule

… Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, as well as from NGO's and academia.

Speakers said Islamic hardliners were increasingly gaining sway over mainstream society, as they took advantage of an administration in Jakarta disoriented by newfound democracy and human rights issues. Weak government, combined with ineffective law enforcement, has allowed mobs to take the law into their own hands with no intervention by the state, the activists said in a joint statement.

They pointed to …

Christian Radio Station Targeted

… has aroused the ire of radical Muslims in Cirebon, west Java.

About fifty activists of the Front Umat Islam (Islamic Community Front) and the Gerakan Pemuda Anti Separatisme (GAPAS) (Youth Anti Separatism League) descended on the premises of the radio station, Suara Gratia, to complain about the subversion of Islam being done there:

They are broadcasting for the Christian community but their permit is for a general audience. The majority of people here are Muslim so it's clear …

“Sweeping” of Australians

… in the culture-packed city of Yogyakarta. Most of them, Metro Tv says, came from the Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII). First, attempts were made by the young radicals to engage in "dialogue" with representatives of the provincial administration but such efforts were rebuffed with no-one willing to enter into such dialogue. Wills undeterred and spirits undeflated they stood their ground outside the local government office and delivered firebrand speeches, some of the highlights of which …

Sandrina Malakiano & The Jilbab

… before the camera. Their reasoning was that it is company policy for employees who appear in front of the camera not to have obvious signs of their religion on display.

Wearing the headscarf does not mean a person is not fit to be a presenter but the policy of Metro TV is that such people can only appear during the month of Ramadhan and on Islamic holidays.
(Seseorang berhijab tidak berarti tidak pantas menjadi presenter, namun khusus di Metro TV, seseorang tersebut hanya dapat …

Comment by Robert: … attributes in front of camera? or at work? Why …

Porn Battle Rages On

… wont to do on these occasions.

The demonstrators were grouped under the Aliansi Bersama untuk Islam (As-Salam), the Alliance for Islam, and consisted mainly of university and high school students and Islamic boarding school residents, who no doubt were all bussed in for the big event.

The head of the As-Salam, M. Zainal said that sexual freedom as applied in the realm of pornography and pornoaksi was responsible for the ruination of the nation's moral fibre, its future, and a high …

Poso & Palu News

… Ambon, Bali, and other areas and who are thought to be part of the umbrella organisation of Jamaah Islamiyah.
(Mereka adalah kelompok-kelompok yang memiliki kaitan dengan kelompok teroris di Jawa, Ambon, Bali dan daerah lain di Indonesia, yang diduga sebagai kelompok Jamaah Islamiyah.)

He said that his command would focus on the upholding of the law, justice, security, and would intensify communication efforts with all groups in society including those who are directly connected to the …

Fill in the Questionnaire

… coordinator of the Anti-Apostasy Movement was among those arrested, along with activists from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and other fruitcake groups. Mukmin said, before being arrested:

We just want to give out questionnaires containing five questions to survey their opinions about the publication of the cartoons, about the stigma put on Muslims as terrorists, and about whether the media should be punished for publishing the cartoons.

If they support the cartoons, we will have no …

Constitutional Court President on Sharia

… In practice, there are sharia banks, marital laws or ancestral laws that are derived from Islamic law. But because they are already part of the national law, they no longer belong to Islamic law. The same process applies to money laundering laws or international conventions that we have ratified. Once we adopt them, they are an integral part of our legal system. Adoption of foreign laws, as well as traditional laws, depends much on their benefits to us.

Problems arise, however, …

Ahmadiyah Lombok

… and added:

We call on Ahmadiyah to immediately decide whether they want to return to real Islamic teachings, or if they don't, maybe just call Ahmadiyah a religion so it will not disrupt Muslims here.

Dozens of homes were set on fire although no deaths or injuries are reported to have occured. Local police are said to have stood by while the torching of the houses progressed and they made no arrests. After the attack about 120 of the Ahmadiyah faithful were evacuated to shelters …

Radicalism and National Security

… by the Indonesian national police chief, presented at an international conference on extremist Islam, security issues and economic activities in Indonesia, held on Dec. 7, 2005 at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta.
Although radicalism is alien to the character of various religions in Indonesia, practices of radicalism are not alien in Indonesia’s history. In terms of national security strategies, there were occasions in which the country’s national security was declared to be under …

Offensive Cartoons on Websites

… government, MUI and PKS bear down on them.

Faith Freedom Indonesia

The full bore anti-Islam forum site Faithfreedom, run by Ali Sina, has nine non English language versions, including an Indonesian one, or did until today.

The site has been shut down by its operators after it attracted the attention of various political and religious authorities in Indonesia, such as the Clerics' Council/Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) and the Justice Party/Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS). …

Lastri, Eros Djarot, & Marcella Zalianty

… same name, written by Ita F. Nadia, of a teenage love triangle involving members of two communist front organisations, Gerwani (communist womens' group) and the Consentrasi Mahasiswa Indonesia (CGMI) (communist affiliated student group), and a young soldier.

The main roles are played by Marcella Zalianty and Tio Pakusadewo, along with jazz singer Iga Mawarni, with other roles taken by Slamet Rahardjo, Dwi Sassono, Artika Sari Devi, and Lukman Sardi.

Beautiful "communist", …

The Jakarta Globe

… first edition of the James Riady owned Jakarta Globe came out today, it seems, here is the front page:

Anyone who's seen a physical copy feel free to give your impression.

Their website, well, difficult to say anything much about it other than that it is simple, simple is good, although for a national newspaper you would have expected a fair bit more. It sort of looks like somebody slapped it up in an afternoon. Perhaps they have plans in this area, or perhaps they have …

Dorce Gamalama & Imam Samudera

Transsexual television personality Dorce Gamalama pays her last respects to the executed Imam Samudera.

Dorce Gamalama, a "post-op" transsexual, and host of the Dorce Show , a celebrity talk show, was seen at the funeral of executed terrorist Imam Samudera/Samudra, at Serang, Banten on 9th November. okezone

Dorce Gamalama, loudly leading orphans in prayer for president Suharto …

Comment by sputjam: … religion of islam is the same pagan religion the …

Wahabi & Wahhabism

The Justice Party-PKS is not a bringer of Saudi Arabian Wahabi Islam to Indonesia, says its leader.

The President of the Justice Party, Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), Tifatul Sembiring said in Aceh recently that his party was not Wahabi (the extremely strict form of Islam that is dominant in Saudi Arabia), as many accused of it being:

The PKS is clearly not Wahabi.

He said the party was simply based on the Quran and hadiths, and, to prevent …

Comment by Hary: I am not Islamophobic. I do agree that Wahabism …

Amrozi Executed by Firing Squad

Amrozi, Muklas, and Imam Samudra are executed by firing squad.

Ali Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron aka Muklas/Mukhlas, and Abdul Aziz aka Imam Samudra aka Qudama were executed at Nusakambangan island prison, Cilacap, Central Java, some time after midnight on Sunday 9th November, for their roles in the 2002 Bali …

Comment by Geordie: … of the True Islam. Alf, I didn’t actually ask …

Pro The Death Penalty

… longer carry the authority to condemn and execute such punishment under secular governments).

Islam and Jews both recognize capital punishment as legit and legitimate. As a model for the Jew regime, Israel's view on capital punishment is somewhat, understandably biased due to their very unique history in the last century and all Islamic government in the world have death penalty laws on the book.

Interpretations, however, vary from the different Moslem countries: Somali's an …

Comment by treespotter: … punishments. Islam is exactly the same, the …

Barack Hussein Obama Mania!

… Pliable

Din Syamsuddin of Muhammadiyah hoped America would now be much more friendly to the Islamic world. inilah

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by lgun: … pribumi, Islam, but when told who are the real …

Single Mothers in Yogya

… my confidence. We did not consider an abortion as being something we could condone on a number of fronts; not least that we would be inclined to abort anyone who suggested depriving us of a grandchild. We discussed this with the daughter who demurred in bad grace and from that moment on has blamed us for what she views as the whole debacle; her original mistake, all ensuing embarrassment and costs, and, by so doing plonked full responsibility for the baby and its future into our ageing hands …

Comment by fullmoonflower: … In Javanese-Islam culture, the people who HAVE TO …

World News Coverage

… great extent in most of them.

Click the red dots next to newspaper names to activate.

Comment by Achmad Sudarsono: … wars within Islam, and the emergence of democracy. …

Timor Leste Relations

… on Jakarta) to deliberately spy on Indonesia- tellingly never taken out of operation when Konfrontasi had ended and full war friendships under Suharto.

Seven JORN transponders are located at Christmas Island, Broome, Kalumburu, Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Normanton and Horn island QLD. With 12 Ionosondes at Laverton, Ajana, Boolathana, Learmonth, South Hedland, Curtin RAAF, Kalkaringin, Groote Eylandte, RAAF Scherger, Lynd River, Longreach.

It has range estimated to be in excess of 4000 …

Comment by dragonwall: … Engineer is the front line all armies across the world …

Pujiono Cahyo & Underage Lust

… year old Pujiono Cahyo Widayanto/Widianto, aka Syech/Syekh Puji, the head of an Islamic boarding school (Ponpes Miftahul Jannah) in Bedono, Jambu, Semarang, Central Java, in August 2008 informally married (nikah siri) Lutfiana Ulfa, 11 years and 10 months old, who had just begun studies at a local junior high school, but has now taken up wifely duties at home.

Ulfa & Pujiono Cahyo Widianto

Sheikh Puji is a very wealthy man, being the owner of PT Sinar Lendoh …

Comment by Czeslaw: … wish, that major Islam Counsils openly condem the …

Bali Culture

… if trouble erupts again?
Rayner.

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by Lairedion: … tits, two at the front and one at the back so he could …

Kidnapping Cases

Investigations into kidnapped and murdered activists of 1997/98, questioning of former generals like president Yudhoyono.

The parliamentary commission (Pansus Orang Hilang) into the disappearances and presumed murders of nine student and other activists opposed to the Suharto presidency in 1997/98 is expected to call some or all of the following former military and intelligence staff to …

Comment by dragonwall: … Tell him off in front of your ulamas saying that he is …

Best Rated Universities

Three Indonesian institutions make it into the top 500 world's best universities list.

Put out by the Times Higher Education and QS World University Ranking a ranking of the 500 best universities worldwide has Indonesia represented by: topuniversities.com

University of Indonesia (UI) - 287th
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) - 315th
Gajah Mada University (UGM) - …

Comment by Rob: … assistance on this front. You pegged me in one. …

Interbank Credit Crisis

… indicates a belief that only 8.625 cents on the dollar will be recoverable on assets for Lehman’s bond holders.

Comment by dragonwall: … from ABRI in the front line and build bridge across into …

Atheist Threat

Young atheists on the internet, and eradicating atheism and communism in Indonesia.

Governor of North Sumatra, Syamsul Arifin , said on 8th October at an occasion marking Pancasila Day that all elements of the nation must continually fight against and eradicate atheist beliefs among the people.

Atheism, which seeks to erase Pancasila and which once threatened the nation in the guise …

Comment by Barry Prima: … convert to Islam. Until then save your bob Marley …

World Football Codes

As predicted by Andy, a "world football codes" topic, split off from US Financial Crisis , including stuff on the state of America, the Iraq war, references to ABBA songs, and a possibly blossoming cyber …

Comment by Berlian Biru: … even converts to Islam) but I doubt it is their religion …

Popular Myths & Madura

… not only economic migrants who crossed the Madura Strait, but also rebels.

Madura converted to Islam earlier than most of Java. A date of 1528 is often given, but legends in Sumenep put the first conversions of local rulers some two centuries before that, which, if true, would make it one of the very earliest bastions of Islam in the entire archipelago.

Even before these conversions Madura had proved a troublesome possession for nominal Javanese overlords. Arosbaya, the first leader to …