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Prominent figures join in protest against Buddha Bar
Key religious figures and liberals signed a petition Friday to protest the use of religious icons by the Buddha Bar restaurant, calling for the owners to cease using the symbols for commercial purposes
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Key religious figures and liberals signed a petition Friday to protest the use of religious icons by the Buddha Bar restaurant, calling for the owners to cease using the symbols for commercial purposes.
The more than 20 prominent petitioners included former president Abdurrahman Wahid, Catholic priest Franz Magnis-Suseno, Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Said Aqil Siradj, progressive Islamic figures Musdah Mulia and Ulil Abshar Abdalla, Buddhist entrepreneur Sudhamek A.W.S., former Constitutional Court judge Jimly Ashidiqqie and political analysts J. Kristiadi and Yudi Latif.
The petition said the commercialization of a religion violated ethical and moral values in the society, and was tantamount to blasphemy, punishable by law in Indonesia.
They urged firm action by the government and city administration.
The protest was organized by the Anti-Buddha Bar Forum (FABB), consisting of mostly mainstream Buddhist groups in Indonesia.
The Buddha Bar, the only Asian branch of the French lounge chain, has received numerous protests from the local Buddhist community for its use of the name Buddha as the restaurant's name, and for its statues of the Buddha throughout the bar.
Located in an old Dutch colonial building on Jl. Teuku Umar, Central Jakarta, it opened last December.
Magnis-Suseno said he was appalled at the owners' ignorance.
"I'm certain the owners of the Buddha Bar didn't intend to offend Buddhists," he said. "However, they don't even consider what they're doing is hurting people. The coarseness of their feelings is regrettable."
Jimly said the issue was between the public, businesspeople and the state. He called on the state to "meddle in this".
Ulil supported the movement, despite his liberal leanings. He said the restaurant management had commercialized religious symbols.
"I wouldn't accept a Muhammad Karaoke either," he said.
The FABB said it would send the petition to Governor Fauzi Bowo.
Forum head Kevin Wu said the FABB demanded the bar change its name and shed any Buddhist themes. He added the FABB had reported it to the police for blasphemy.
"However, the police investigation has been slow," he said.
FABB lawyer Sugianto said the police had told them "to relax".
"The police said that as a religious group we should be magnanimous about it," he said.
The Justice and Human Rights Ministry's Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights Protection (Ditjen HAKI) revoked in April the restaurant's brand license. The Jakarta Tourism Agency then asked it to change its name and theme.
PT Nireta Vista Creative, which manages the restaurant, responded by taking down only its sign.
The company recently sued Ditjen HAKI and the tourism agency, which had initially granted the restaurant its operating permit.
Nireta is partly owned by local Djan Faridz, a businessman newly elected to the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
