INDONESIA: Illegal arrest and detention of a leader of a religious minority sect called Eden Community 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Lia Aminuddin, a leader of a religious community called Eden Community, which is located in Jl. Mahoni, Senen Jakarta Pusat, was illegally arrested along with 47 members by police officers from the District Police Office of the Special Territory of the Capital City of Jakarta on 28 December 2005. While the rest of the members were released after two days, Lia continues to be illegally detained at the said District Police Office.

According to the information we have received, the police first took the members of the Eden Community, including Lia into their custody saying that they were providing security to them following an incident where a group of Muslims attempted to burn the Eden Building down. No arrest warrant was reportedly presented by the police at that time. However, Lia was the following day (December 29) charged with religious blasphemy by the police. The police also banned all religious gatherings and practices of the Eden community. Meanwhile, no investigation has been conducted by the police into the burning attempt on the Eden building.

The AHRC is deeply concerned by the increasing suppression and hostilities against religious minorities in Indonesia in recent years. For instance, at least 35 churches in Bandung and the neighbouring regions were closed by Islamic groups last year. The AHRC has also reported on the continued attacks and intimidation on the minority Islamic religious sect, Ahmadiyyah (see further: UA-193-2005).

We call for your urgent intervention in this matter. Please send a letter to the Indonesian authorities and urge them to release Lia immediately. Please also urge them to take action against the officers responsible for Lia’s illegal arrest and detention and conduct a proper inquiry into the burning attempt on the Eden building. Genuine steps must also be taken to prevent violence against religious minorities in the country and ensure their freedom of religion.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: Ms. Lia Aminuddin, a leader of a religious community called Eden Community
Address of the victim: God’s Kingdom Eden, Jl. Mahoni, Senen No. 30 Jakarta Pusat Indonesia 10460
Alleged perpetrators: Police officers from the District Police Office of the Special Territory of the Capital City of Jakarta
Period of illegal arrest and detention: Arrested on 28 December 2005 and continues to be detained at the District Police Office of the Special Territory of the Capital City of Jakarta

Ms. Lia Aminuddin is a leader of a religious community called Eden Community, which is a religious minority sector in Indonesia. Eden Community is known to practice their belief in a very peaceful way. However, this community was banned by the Indonesian Council of Ulama (Majelis Ulama Indonesia- MUI), which is the formal organisation of the Islamic Clergy in Indonesia comprising of many Islamic organizations, in 1997 (Fathwa No.: Kep-768/MUI/XII/1997 dated 22 December 1997). Since then, its members have been facing considerable religious discrimination and hostilities from the people of the majority Muslim religion.

On 26 December 2005, a meeting was arranged by the officials of the Bungur sub-district, Jakarta and at the meeting the Muslim community decided to send a three-day ultimatum of eviction to the Eden Community located in Jl. Mahoni, Senen Jakarta Pusat. After the meeting, the building of the Eden Community was twice pelted with stones by people of the Muslim community who reject the Eden Community and who gather in front of the Eden building every day.

On 28 December, a majority Muslim crowd gathered and began shouted “Burn down!” and “Destroy!” in front of the Eden Community. They then attempted to burn down the building. The police from the Polda Metro Jaya Police Station then arrived at the scene and evicted all the 48 Eden community members, including adults and children, from the building and took them to the District Police Office of the Special Territory of the Capital City of Jakarta under the guise of protecting them from the angry crowd. No arrest warrant was presented by the police at that time.

However, on the same night, the police questioned each member of the Eden community on the suspicion of religious blasphemy. The next day, the members of the Eden community were released. However, one member, Ms. Lia Aminuddin, was charged with religious blasphemy and detained. Meanwhile, the police have taken no action either to investigate the burning attempt of the Eden building or to arrest the suspects. Lia is currently illegally detained at the District Police Office of the Special Territory of the Capital City of Jakarta.

After Lia’s arrest, Mr. Firman Gani, the head of the District Police Office of the Special Territory of the Capital City of Jakarta, told the media that the Eden Community had been under police watch for some time before the police intervened and arrested their members. The police also prevented Eden members from staying at their community building and banned all their religious gatherings and activities. The Eden community was therefore forced to cease their religious practice. It has been reported that Lia can access legal counsel, however, the details of her current condition are unknown.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the persons listed below demanding the immediate release of Lia  Aminuddin, a proper investigation into the burning attempt of the Eden Community on 28 December 2005 and the arrest of those responsible.

 

 

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