Indonesian rights groups want action over Islamic anti-gay raid

Updated March 29, 2010 21:50:01

Rights groups in Indonesia are calling on police to arrest members of several Islamic groups who raided a hotel occupied by a number of Gay and Lesbian advocates in Surabaya over the weekend. The advocates were in East Java to attend an international conference on homosexual issues. Some observers say the Islamic groups actions are a sign religious conservatism is on the rise in Indonesia.

Presenter: Stephanie March
Speakers: King Oeui, gay and lesbian rights group Arus Pelangi; Usman Hamid, KONTRAS human rights group; Dr Syafii Anwar, International Centre for Islam and Pluralism.

MARCH: Police decided last week to not issue a permit for the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association's regional conference. The security forces were worried they would not be able to provide adequate protection for the ILGA conference participants, fearing religious groups in the majority-muslim country would lash out on the basis that homosexuality is against Islamic teachings. The conference was cancelled by the organisers, but a number of foreign participants remained in a hotel in Surabaya over the weekend waiting for flights out of the country. On Saturday members of several hardline Islamic groups allegedly descended on the hotel harassing participants.

OEUI: They came with such a force. And they actually immediately invaded the lobby of the hotel and they demanded that we disband and that we immediately leave the hotel.

MARCH: King Oeui is from the Gay and Lesbian group Arus Pelangi, one of the organisers of the conference.

OEUI: Of course we told them we are willing to disband because the conference was cancelled anyway. But since many participants have already arrived we cannot just turn them away so we were looking at ways to speed up their return flights etc etc. But then they became very unruly and even at the point the police who were there watching to mediate got really scared themselves.

MARCH: Radio Australia was unable to contact for comment spokespeople for the Islamic organisations involved in the confrontation. No one was injured in incident, but number of rights groups have written to the Surabaya police calling for those involved in the raid to be arrested. Usman Hamid is from the human rights group KONTRAS.

HAMID: I got confirmation from HQ police that they are trying to consider that legal action taken for those who were banning the conference. We were so concerned about the way community groups undermined the conference on gay and lesbian rights in Surabaya East Java and we are also concerned the authorities failed to facilitate the conference conducted freely.

MARCH: The conference had already been called off when the Islamic groups descended on the hotel. Local media reported a spokesman for the groups saying they wanted to be sure the participants did not go ahead with the conference, despite organisers announcing to the public it had been cancelled. Usman Hamid says it is the first time he can recall a gay and lesbian conference banned by the authorities in Indonesia, and he says it sets a dangerous precedent.

HAMID: I think this is one of the political setback in freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, in Indonesia. The police should do more action and more aware of the movement of the hardliners or otherwise it can undermine police credibility.

MARCH: Dr Syafii Anwar, the executive director of the International Centre for Islam and Pluralism, says the actions over the weekend demonstrate the increasing influence religious conservative groups have in Indonesia.

ANWAR: The situation in Indonesia side is related to the rise of religious conservatism. Conservatism in Indonesia is obvious now despite the fact we already develop moderate and progressive activities but this kind issue is so complicated and of course being Muslim in ones sense we disagree with the same sex marriage, gay and lesbianism, however, as moderate Muslim we consider that the way they are.

MARCH: Dr Anwar says he thinks it is likely many Indonesian Muslims would be sympathetic to the actions of the Islamic groups in Surabaya.

OEUI: Because the majority of the people will consider that the action is understandable.

MARCH: King Oeui, one of the organisers of the conference disagrees.

OEUI: LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people is quite accepted in Indonesia, but minority groups, these fundamentalist groups, that create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.