Indonesia’s police chief says fatwa against Santa Claus is illegal
General Tito Karnavian has urged citizens to ignore the ban on dressing up for Christmas. Because of the edict issued by the Ulema Council (MUI), several merchants have been threatened by Islamic extremists because they asked their employees to wear Christmassy gear.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The fatwa issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has no legal basis and both the police and citizens must not regard it as a law to be upheld, said Indonesian Police Chief General Tito Karnavian after two regional police chiefs backed the MUI’s call on Muslims not to dress up for Christmas.
On 14 December, MUI issued edict number 56/2016 saying that it is haram (forbidden) to use non-Islamic objects during the Christmas season. Hence, wearing a Santa costume or Christmassy gear is prohibited.
Following MUI’s decree, some extremist groups, including the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), raided shops in Surabaya (East Java) and Bekasi (West Java) ordering owners not to require employees to wear Christmas paraphernalia.
General Karnavian lashed out at the edict and at these demonstrations of intolerance, saying that pluralism and the spirit of religious tolerance that lie at the basis of Indonesia must be protected.
"I ordered the police chiefs in Bekasi and Kulon Progo to prevent the circulation of leaflets in support of the MUI fatwa," he said.
Recently, Bekasi police chief Umar Surya Fana had leaflets printed "explaining" the MUI edict, putting pressure on local merchants not to require non-Christian employees to wear Christmassy clothes to attract customers.
With such police support, extremists have felt emboldened. Yesterday some FPI members in Surabaya threatened merchants, protected by police agents.
“These ugly incidents were triggered by the MUI edict,” said General Karnavian. “The fatwa has been used by radical groups to carry out raids and exert pressure on supermarkets."
The general not only rebuked the police chiefs, but he also ordered them to go after the troublemakers. "If they use force, then you are legally bound to bring them to justice, without compromise,” he said.
The police chief also stated that he would discuss the matter with MUI leaders, "urging them to publish serious deliberations that protect the spirit of tolerance."
On Sunday, Rev Jan S. Aritonang, a Protestant clergyman, urged the ulema to discuss the matter in order to comprehend the reasons of the edict.
"There was never any agreement among Christian denominations that these decorations and [Christmas] images are objects related to Christianity,” he explained. “The spread of these 'products' has nothing to do with the Christian faith and is only connected to the market and commercial activities."
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