Bekasi – The Bekasi City Government padlocked the Al-Misbah Mosque, a place of worship for the Ahmadiyya community on Jalan Pangrango Terusan, Jatibening, Pondok Gede District, Bekasi City, on Friday, May 16, 2014.
“There was a public outcry demanding that the local government take action,” said Sudiana, Head of the Legal Division of the Bekasi City Government, on Friday, May 16, 2014. The public reaction in question took the form of protests against the Ahmadiyah community’s activities at the mosque.
Consequently, the government took action by deploying dozens of Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) officers to padlock the Al-Misbah Mosque. The padlocking was closely guarded by local police officers.
According to him, this government action also aimed to enforce regulations prohibiting the Ahmadiyah community from conducting activities at the mosque. He noted that the ban takes the form of a mayoral regulation, a governor’s regulation, and a joint decree from the central government. “Rather than letting things get out of hand, the government is taking control of the situation,” said Sudiana.
Sudiana further explained that in a ruling by the Bandung Administrative Court, the court ruled in favor of the Bekasi City Government in the lawsuit filed by the Ahmadiyah regarding the padlocking. Consequently, the mosque was padlocked again based on that ruling. “We lost the case regarding the corrugated iron fencing, but we won the case regarding the padlocking,” said Sudiana.
Ahmadiyah spokesperson Deden Sujana said worshippers had to climb over the fence to enter and exit the mosque. “There were hundreds of worshippers who couldn’t get out or get in,” Deden said when asked for confirmation.
ADI WARSONO