Indonesia: Provinces Starting to Issue Local Regulation Banning Ahmadiyya

“I have asked Community Welfare Assistant and Political and Nation Unity Head to coordinate with West Java and East Java provinces. I believe these regulations are in accordance with the three ministers’ decree, we are just doing this for Jakarta area.” 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: JakartaUpdates.Com
By Jakarta Updates | March 4, 2011

Jakarta will follow suit to issue local regulation banning Ahmadiyya from doing their activity in Jakarta Provincial area. If this is approved by the Jakarta People Representatives then Jakarta will be the fourth province after West Java, East Java and South Sulawesi.

The three provinces and many other municipals already issued their local regulation last week banning Ahmadiyya which deemed to have the potential to create a prolonged horizontal conflict that can disturb local and national security.

This horizontal conflict culminated in a brutal attack that claimed three lives from Ahmadiyya congregation. At the moment the Police have arrested 12 people from the mobs and 1 person from Ahmadiyya as well as 3 of its own member for negligence in connection to the incident but nowhere near solving the case just yet.
The Police have also questioned 37 local police officers as well as demoting the head of the precincts.

The Indonesian Government previously in June 9, 2008 already issue similar decree but were never enforced. The decree signed by the Religious Minister, Interior Minister and Attorney General were seen as not strong enough and never properly implemented on the ground.

“For Jakarta we need to discuss this with the People Representative and issue a regulation to ban (Ahmadiyya) here” says Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo at the City Council.

The Governor also asked his subordinates to coordinate the details of the regulation with the two other provinces in Java that already issue similar regulation.

“I have asked Community Welfare Assistant and Political and Nation Unity Head to coordinate with West Java and East Java provinces. I believe these regulations are in accordance with the three ministers’ decree, we are just doing this for Jakarta area” he says.

The South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo when issuing his regulation also says that the regulation only forbid Ahmadiyya from doing their activities in the province but not necessarily dissolving the group as requested by some social organizations.

The Governor reason that Ahmadiyya was never registered it self as an organization, therefore can not be dissolved, but can be prevented from holding meetings with attributes and such.

“We don’t need to dismantle it but at the same time they are not allowed to conduct any activities either” say the Governor.

These regulations forbid Ahmadiyya or member of its congregation to spread its teaching verbally, in writing or through electronic media. Ahmadiyya is not allowed to put a sign signifying it offices, it mosques, its educational institutions and other activity that shows their organization attributes.

Ahmadiyya also advised to invites non Ahmadiyya imam to lecture or give da’wah at their mosques. (ed)



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