F

ollowing in the footsteps of East Java, West Java and South Sulawesi issued on Thursday a ban on members of the Ahmadiyah sect from practicing their religion in public.

The banning in West Java was formalized in the form of Governor Decree No. 12/2011 read out Governor Ahmad Heryawan in Bandung.

“Followers, members and Ahmadiyah sect board members are prohibited from conducting activities in any form, especially those deemed to deviate from Islamic teachings,” said Heryawan.

Heryawan announced the new policy at a media briefing, which was also attended by West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Suparni Parto, Siliwangi Military Commander Maj. Gen. Moeldoko, West Java Prosecutor’s Office head Sugiyanto and West Java Legislative Council Speaker Irfan Suryanagara.

Heryawan said the new decree also outlawed the display of the Ahmadiyah organization’s name, its mosques and education institutions.

“The mosques, currently known to be owned by Ahmadiyah, become public property that all Muslims can enter,” he said.

The prohibition, he said, did not conflict with an Ahmadiyah statement on Jan. 14, 2008, claiming their religious rituals were no different from those carried out by Muslims in general.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo also issued on Thursday a ban on public Ahmadiyah activities.

Syahrul said the Ahmadiyah sect was neither registered with the administration as a mass organization nor a religious organization.

“For that reason, I don’t think it should be a problem should the administration prohibit its activities here. We also won’t give them a permit [to practice their religion publicly],” said Syahrul as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said he had issued a circular banning all activities of the Ahmadiyah Indonesia Congregation (JAI) in the province, referring to a joint ministerial decree from the government that bans members of JAI from propagating their religious beliefs, but allows them to maintain their faith and perform their daily religious duties.

The calls for the banning of the Ahmadiyah sect’s teachings have repeatedly and consistently been echoed by various Muslim elements in the country over the past few weeks.

East Java Governor Soekarwo on Monday issued a decree that prohibits all Ahmadis in the province from conducting the religious activities.

In Yogyakarta, however, Governor Hamengkubuwono disclosed that Yogyakarta would not follow other provinces in banning the Ahmadiyah.

Hamengkubuwono said that inter-religious lives in Yogyakarta were conducive so that there was
no need to issue a decree banning the sect.

“If other regional leaders issue a decree, that’s their initiative. We don’t need it. Community circumstances here are secure and good. The most important thing is not to be easily provoked,” the governor said as quoted by tempointeractif.com.

In Pekanbaru, Riau, 30 Islamic organizations urged the governor to issue a decree banning the Ahmadiyah.

“Muslims will not tolerate Ahmadiyah teachings,” said the head of Riau’s Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Mahdini.

Riau Governor Rusli Zainal said he was still considering whether to issue a similar banning.

Meanwhile, MUI East Nusa Tenggara is closely monitoring activities of the Ahmadiyah community in the province, especially in Alor regency. Despite pressure, especially from hardliners, Ahmadiyah followers can go about their routine religious activities in Alor.

Rizal Harahap And Yemris Fointuna Contributed To This Article From Pekanbaru And Kupang.