By NINIEK
KARMINI
Associated
Press Writer
Published:
March 24, 2010, 9:45 am
Indonesian
police ordered the cancellation Wednesday of a conference of Asian gay
activists, saying it could prompt violent protests by conservative Muslim
groups.
The conference, organized by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Trans and Intersex Association, or ILGA, was due to take place this weekend
with participants from 16 countries.
The ban was issued by police in Surabaya, East Java's capital, where the
three-day event was to be held, national police spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistyo
Ishak said.
The decision was made after considering public objections by Muslim
groups and the Indonesian Ulema Council, an influential board of Muslim
clerics, he said.
"There are indications that the event could trigger a social crisis
and cause public unrest," Ishak said. "This ban was issued for the
sake of public order."
Poedjiati Tan, head of the organizing committee, said more than 150
activists representing 100 organizations in 16 Asian countries planned to
attend the conference.
Tan said the committee is trying to appeal the decision with police and
religious leaders, arguing that the conference was meant to raise awareness of
social issues faced by gays.
"We want to convince Indonesian authorities and religious leaders
that we only want to talk about social problems related to this minority
group," she said. "We are seeking direction and a way out of our
problems in health, education and issues of discrimination."
However, Abdussomad Bukhori, a prominent member of the cleric council,
said the board would oppose any kind of gay event.
"The event will hurt Indonesian Muslims because lesbians and gays
are contrary to Islamic teaching," he said. "We will continue to
reject any kind of homosexual event."
Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, but remains a sensitive issue
in the socially conservative, Muslim-majority nation. At the same time, most of
its society, which follows a moderate form of Islam, is tolerant, with gay and
transsexual entertainers often appearing on television shows.
The ILGA is a worldwide federation of more than 560 local, national and
international organizations. Regional ILGA conferences have been held in India,
the Philippines and Thailand in the past.