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Thursday, 5 March 2009
Buddha Bar 'sealed'
The trendy bar opened its first Asian franchise here late last year, renovating a historic former immigration building in the plush Menteng part of town and decorating it with large Buddha statues and images.
JAKARTA - Indonesian Buddhists symbolically 'sealed' the upmarket Buddha Bar in Jakarta on Thursday, urging authorities to immediately close the Paris-based entertainment franchise for blasphemy.
About 150 mainly student protesters carrying joss sticks and flowers gathered outside the bar in a wealthy neighbourhood of the capital and denounced its decorative use of sacred symbols and statues.
They chanted Buddhist prayers and carried banners reading 'Remove all Buddhist symbols from the bar' and 'Change your name or close forever'.
A handful of police watched calmly as the protesters then 'sealed' the main entrance with fake yellow crime scene tape. The bar was closed at the time.
'For us, Buddha is our revered teacher. But for them, Buddha is a decoration and the worst thing is the statues are in such an indecent place,' protest coordinator Eko Nugroho said.
The trendy bar opened its first Asian franchise here late last year, renovating a historic former immigration building in the plush Menteng part of town and decorating it with large Buddha statues and images.
It is believed to be part-owned by Puan Maharani, the daughter of former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, and former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso's daughter, Renny Sutiyoso.
Seven protesters were invited to present their objections to the bar's managers, who did not comment to the media.
Another group of Buddhists is planning to sue the government for granting the bar an operating licence, and is not deterred by the high-profile owners of the franchise, a spokesman said.
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Buddha Bar 'sealed'
AFP
5 March 2009
JAKARTA - Indonesian Buddhists symbolically 'sealed' the upmarket Buddha Bar in Jakarta on Thursday, urging authorities to immediately close the Paris-based entertainment franchise for blasphemy.
About 150 mainly student protesters carrying joss sticks and flowers gathered outside the bar in a wealthy neighbourhood of the capital and denounced its decorative use of sacred symbols and statues.
They chanted Buddhist prayers and carried banners reading 'Remove all Buddhist symbols from the bar' and 'Change your name or close forever'.
A handful of police watched calmly as the protesters then 'sealed' the main entrance with fake yellow crime scene tape. The bar was closed at the time.
'For us, Buddha is our revered teacher. But for them, Buddha is a decoration and the worst thing is the statues are in such an indecent place,' protest coordinator Eko Nugroho said.
The trendy bar opened its first Asian franchise here late last year, renovating a historic former immigration building in the plush Menteng part of town and decorating it with large Buddha statues and images.
It is believed to be part-owned by Puan Maharani, the daughter of former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, and former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso's daughter, Renny Sutiyoso.
Seven protesters were invited to present their objections to the bar's managers, who did not comment to the media.
Another group of Buddhists is planning to sue the government for granting the bar an operating licence, and is not deterred by the high-profile owners of the franchise, a spokesman said.
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