Rights groups in Indonesia are calling on police to arrest members of several Islamic groups who raided a hotel occupied by a number of Gay and Lesbian advocates in Surabaya over the weekend. The advocates were in East Java to attend an international conference on homosexual issues. Some observers say the Islamic groups actions are a sign religious conservatism is on the rise in Indonesia.

Presenter: Stephanie March
Speakers: King Oeui, gay and lesbian rights group Arus Pelangi; Usman Hamid, KONTRAS human rights group; Dr Syafii Anwar, International Centre for Islam and Pluralism.
Listen: Windows Media

MARCH: Police decided last week to not issue a permit for the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association’s regional conference. The security forces were worried they would not be able to provide adequate protection for the ILGA conference participants, fearing religious groups in the majority-muslim country would lash out on the basis that homosexuality is against Islamic teachings. The conference was cancelled by the organisers, but a number of foreign participants remained in a hotel in Surabaya over the weekend waiting for flights out of the country. On Saturday members of several hardline Islamic groups allegedly descended on the hotel harassing participants.

OEUI: They came with such a force. And they actually immediately invaded the lobby of the hotel and they demanded that we disband and that we immediately leave the hotel.

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