Buddhists unimpressed by Buddha Bar

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 03/05/2009 8:42 AM  |  Jakarta

Hundreds of Buddhists plan to hold a prayer service in front of the Buddha Bar club in Central Jakarta on Thursday morning, in protest against the French franchise management's use of Buddhist attributes.

Eko Nugroho, head of the Indonesian Buddhist Students Association, told tempointeraktif.com that the service was organize to honor Buddha, who is represented by a Buddha statue in the Buddha Bar building.

"Around 200 people will join the procession," he said.

Eko said the Buddhists would gather first at Taman Cut Meutia Park at around 10:30 a.m., before walking in prayer towards the bar.

Eko expects the bar management to change the bar's name. "It is most inappropriate to use a religious icon to name an entertainment place that sells liquor," he said.

Separately, Jakarta Tourism Agency head Arie Budiman said the administration was asking Buddhists to be patient, because the bar management was still considering changing the name of the bar.

Buddha Bar is situated in a building once used as the Central Jakarta Immigration Office, which had subsequently been set up as a center for the arts.

 

At present, Buddha Bar is run by the daughter of former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso, who initially approved the purchase and renovations.

In 2002, Jakarta administration spent Rp 28 billion (US$2.3 million in today's currency) to repurchase the old building, and poured an additional Rp 6.1 billion into restoring it in 2005. (dre)

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