Feb. 26, p5

Local authorities of Kotagede district in Yogyakarta have decided to shut down the Islamic Al Fatah School for transgender students and ban any religious activities from taking place on the premises, citing '€œpublic order'€ issues following pressure from local hard-liners.

The decision was made after a meeting between representatives of Al Fatah, security officers, local officials, the Yogyakarta Islamic Jihad Front (FJI) and local people on Wednesday night.

'€œWe decided to close down the transgender Islamic school considering security, order and public comfort issues,'€ Banguntapan subdistrict chief Jati Bayu Broto told journalists at his office on Thursday.

Your comments:

First they came for the transgender people, and I did not speak out, because I was not transgender.

Then they came for gay people, and I did not speak out, because I was not gay. Then they came for the Christians, and I did not speak out, because I was not a Christian.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.

Apatisme

So the Islam Defender'€™s Front (FPI) rules West Java, FJI rules Java. Our police force take their lead from these groups and our politicians look the other way.

Betawi Spring

On the contrary. It'€™s the FPI and their gangster buddies who are perverting beautiful diverse Indonesia with their imported foreign fascist ideas.

Deedee S.

Is this intolerance just manipulation from the 1 percent to avoid change? Is this Arab invasion a deliberate strategy to dumb down the masses and delay the social reform that Indonesia deserves?

Farmer Jakarta

But where'€™s the public outcry and support for these people?

The people here just don'€™t seem to care one bit.

One day they will wake up and realize they have lost all their freedoms, and that day does not seem so far away. The scourge of organized religion '€” absolute evil in disguise.

Sometimes it feels like the foreigners I know care more for the future of this country than its inhabitants.

Masmon

I just don'€™t buy this. Nor that some opportunity, never to come again, was missed. Intimidation only works by inducing fear but you can refuse to be intimidated and so take away the power of the bully.

It is easy to hide and just hope it happens to another person, not you, but you end up with a culture devoid of empathy, filled with harsh self-interest.

Alba2000

Hardly anyone speaks out. Those who do are roundly ignored and in fact tarred with the same brush or are doing so with an alternative motive.

NGJ

I am Indonesian and remember too well how I grew up; my siblings, high school friends and relatives are there in Java.

I went to an elementary school built from woven bamboo '€” you have probably would have seen that if you came to Java in the 1960s.

After school, I would help mother with her home business and father with his bookstore business. But still every month, I always wondered if my and siblings'€™ school tuition would be paid.

And that was not that bad, the family had each other. Friends and some relatives disappeared and lost their loved ones during the communist purge. How can I forget that?

And so I do appreciate, follow, and respect most rights activists who speak up and rally for the cause of others.

Want2makecents

Exactly, as described by the famous Maslow'€™s Hierarchy of Needs. Abraham Maslow suggests that the most basic level of needs must be met before the individual will desire (or focus motivation upon) higher-level needs.

Filling up an empty wallet to buy food and get shelter is the most basic-level need. Agitation against corruption, social abuses, etc. are higher-level needs.

Wandering Star

You know sometimes this just feels like an excuse to me '€” '€œI can'€™t think beyond where my next meal is coming from.'€

That sounds an awful lot like an Indonesian politician saying '€œI can'€™t think about human rights until I have bought my next car.'€

People can always come up with excuses, my needs, as a way of avoiding their responsibility for other people'€™s needs. Or to put it another way '€” how much money does an Indonesian need to have in his wallet before he thinks he has enough?

France

And when will those who force the less prominent to obey them show repentance?

I would expect at least a little before they shut down the next place of worship or community center: The list is growing.

Will Graham

Popular

RI, Australia strengthen partnership on taxing crypto assets

Analysis: Indonesia denies normalization with Israel to enter OECD

Citroen to produce electric cars in Indonesia