Buddha Bar Ordered To Close
Buddha Bar Indonesia
An Indonesian court had on Wednesday ordered the local branch of Paris-based Buddha Bar to close after convicting the licence holder of blasphemy, the foreign media has reported.
The AFP has reported that the court had also ordered licensee PT Nireta Vista Creative, the official Jakarta tourism agency and Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo to pay damages of one billion rupiah (110,000 dollars) to the plaintiffs for distress.
The city authorities had failed to consider the religious sensitivities when they approved the licence, the judges have said.
“The judges passed a verdict today upholding the case we filed in May calling for the bar to be shut down,” The AFP has quoted a lawyer for the Anti-Buddha Bar Forum, which filed the complaint on behalf of local Buddhists, Sunardjo Sumargono as saying.
“The licence holder was found guilty of blasphemy and of using Buddhist symbols and ornaments at an inappropriate place.”
Central Jakarta district court spokesman Sugeng Riyono has confirmed that judges ordered the bar to close “as an unlawful act had been committed”.
The plush lounge bar and restaurant is the France-based chain’s first franchise in Asia, but it had sparked protests almost from the moment it opened in late 2008 in an up market area of central Jakarta.
Its trademark Oriental styling – including a large sitting Buddha figure which dominates the bar area – had infuriated mainly Muslim Indonesia’s Buddhist minority, who organised protests and a legal challenge.
The owners had reportedly changed the name to “Buddhabar” but that failed to satisfy the Buddhists.
“We’re very pleased with the court’s decision. It’s a blessing for Buddhists. Justice has been served,” Sumargono has said.
Good decision by the judges. Demonstrates religious tolerance of Indonesian Muslims. I think Sri Lankan majority could follow this example.
Do Sri Lanka has a voice to comment about this? This is a country which staged “Sergeant Nallathamby” to portray Tamils as jokers and degrade their religious symbol which they used to wear in forehead. This is a country where almost every Hindu temple was either burned or demolished (partially/fully) between 1983-todate.
Thugs who wear robes attempted to interfere and stop religious rituals in Chilaw 2 weeks back.
And influential politicians organised and went along with their thug gangs to Jaffna to completely destroy tamil history by burning the Jaffna library
burning of our library was done by UNP. it was proved beyond doubt. can we hold all sinhalese responsible for this??? recently a govt minister appologised for this which we accept in good faith. LTTE bombed buddhist worship places killed monks in our name. we are equally responsible because of those idiots – thankfully no more.no point living in the past. lets move on…….
gemba is a appropriate name for u. sargant nallathambi potray tamils as jokers???? ha ha! first time i heard this. many tamils enjoy this including self. i have never heard of a hindu temple being burnt as buddhist worship all hindu Gods. inside temples u get hindu Gods. as a hindu iam a pure vegitarian & against killing of animals to tarnish name of hindus. LTTE tamil supporters like you only created trouble for our entire community. let us live in peace as Srilankans. radicals like you are a disgrace
You got me wrong. I am not a LTTE supporter. But I don’t support state terrorism and Sinhala terrorists and cannibals. War mongers presume that any one who talk against state terrorism or support human rights are by default LTTE supporters. Thirsty for Tamil blood not letting war mongers to think rationally. That is why from UN, EU to US president and state officials has become LTTE supporters in the mind of Sri Lankan war criminals. Are you one of such blood thirsty war monger? You never heard of demolishing or burning Hindu temples? Which part of the planet do you are live? Tell me a single Hindu temple which never burnt within last 3 decades. Of course media is not allowed to report any such act (war without witness) I can understand your motive..an attempt to justify the act of cannibalism by Sinhalese. Do any one is allowed to openly say anything against for slaughtering 30,000 civilians in this country. I don’t need be an LTTE sympathiser to seek justice on behalf of victims.
Well said Gemba. Vana’s motive is to cover-up atrocities of Sri Lankan government & its brained washed followers. To justify the injustice he is taking a position as a Tamilian.
Welldone Indonisia. We salute you for your brave decission. This is a very good example for us as well as other countreis, who allowed to open so called Buddha Bars. This kind of things should be banned every ware in the world. All the religious simbols are sacred and no body could misuse at any level. If somebody is trying to insult or misuse any religios belongings, should be punished without any hesitation. Indonisia is muslim country and they have given fitting examples to other countries to follow the same thing.
Gemba, please mind your language. The Chilaw incident is a business matter to slaughter animals and it’s not a part of Hindu religion festival. The protest was against the killings of innocent animals. I think you’ll agree with me. Please do not write any comments without studying the situation.
Hi Turbo, I don’t support slaughtering animals in the name of religion. However monks’ motive behind their thuggery act is very clear. They are not a kind of a creature who shed tears for killing animals. Rather they will stand in a queue to get their share of meat. This ritual is getting popular and monks are not happy with it. If those monks are really practice non violence as lord Buddha preached will they ever support killing of minorities in Sri Lanka. Did you ever heard of any protest done within last 30 year by any of the monk to show their displeasure for killing of Tamil civilians or atrocities against them. Monks played a major role in executing Black July riots. Monks only preach “Sunday Sill Monday kill”
How many Hindu priests protested against the LTTE killing Sinhalese and Muslims?
Does minorities allowed to protest in Sri Lanka? You must be joking my dear friend
It was not long ago that our Prime Minister threatened to take action against the patrons of Buddha bars in foreign countries who drink and dance naked before Buddha statues. Critics asked what power he had. The Indonesian decision is indeed a reply to Jayaratne critics.
DM got no hand in this at all. Indonesia banned this purely as a good gesture Buddhist in General an they decided that its wrong to run anything under religious names.
guru, you are quite right. But DM supporters claim otherwise!
And, guru, Indonesia did not ban it at all. One court, not the government, ordered the license holder to close it after a case was filed by a group of Buddhists.
Let’s first have our facts correct.
Gemba, you said ‘religious ritual’ in Chilaw?
Killing thousands of goats and fowl in such brutish manner while men, women, children and infants were watching is religious ritual? The children and infants will now develop with a distorted, sadistic psychology.
To the best of my knowledge, that is not Hinduism.
President – Sri Lanka Rationalist Association
THOSE FOOLS WHO APROVED THE LICENCE ARE MUSLIMS.WHAT ABOUT TO NAME A BAR UNDER THE NAME OF ‘ALLAH’, ALLAH BAR IN JAKARTA ?. IF THEY ARE CHRISTIANS,WHAT ABOUT NAME A BAR AS ‘JESUS’ BAR?.SHAME ON THEM.
@TRUE BUDDHIST
Remember this-the fools who condemned and cancelled the licence are also Muslims. They could have easily looked the other way. So, just count your blessings if you cant now kiss their ar..e…
Why did the Muslims allow this in the first place? Would they have allowed a Muhammad Bar to open?
Don’t you have the habit of looking at the bright side of what has happened in a place where justice has been done to correct the wrong?
If you are so couragious,get the flagship bar closed in paris.And also
remember muslims are in a religion that allows to correct mistakes.
Sono putha, Aney umbage kata beeraganing bung.
If you are true buddhist why do you tolerate a bar right next to a Pansala and sacred city bound as in Anuradhapura and also inside your pansala in the matara a few yrs ago.
YOU ARE A TRUE IDIOT YOU PLONKER. APPRECIATE BANNING THIS BAR BY A MUSLIM COUNTRY, ITS FOR THE FIRST TIME BUDDHA BAR HAS BEEN BANED.
IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT TO COMMENT PISS OFF YOU A / H.
Hi Gemba, thanks for your comments. Our argument is not going to solve the problem. You are talking about the innocent civilians killings. What about the innocent sinhalese and muslim people killed by LTTE. Arantalawa maha sanga, Kent and Dollar farms brutal killings a few examples to commence with. You name it and you have it. Who came forward to protest regarding those brutal killings done by LTTE.. Who ever who killing innocent people, I totally against it. No question about it. Our religion is all about peace and against any kind of violence. Everybody has right to protest or talk about what ever going against our culture. If there are is action, we could expect the reaction too. That is simple as it is. But we’ll getogether and fight against those unlawful incidents. Take care.
Killing is always inhumane and bad. Not only human、killing of animals also shoud not be happened. What happened at chilaw is killing of inocent animals. We are against not because of retuals of that region 、but due to the quality of that action.
Then why aren’t the clergy also protesting in front of slaughterhouses on a daily basis? Is it because some of that meat ends up in their ‘Dhaane’…??
this i agree that all meats should be stopped. hindu & buddhist priest should not consume meat. its a sin. anyone can buy a robe & pretend to be a priest like the jvp ones for their benifit. some are not even buddhist. like the christian priest in europe who donned the robe & abused boys. can we hold the pope responsible for this of course not.
If you want to know the truth, ask the choirboys in the Vatican.
Well Done…
why do we have a higher concentration of religious entities involving in country’s politics? Don’t they have a spiritual life to concentrate on the spiritual well being of the citizens? In Sri Lanka the activities of many (not all) Buddhist monks are not necessarily free of racism.
REPLY
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I FORGOT TO WRITE LITTLE BIT MORE.THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BUDDHISTS.ONE TYPE IS, MEAT EATING,ALKOHOL DRINKING,WOMANISERS GAMBLERS AND CRIMINALS.OTHER TYPE IS VEGETARIANS WHO DON’T PARTICIPATE WITH KILLINGS,AND PRACTICE TRUE NON VIOLENT BUDDHISM.MUSLIMS ALSO THAT TWO TYPES,SOME PRACTICE TRUE ISLAM AND OTHERS PARTICIPATE WITH ALL KIND OF ANTI ISLAM ACTIVITIES.THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
There’s no “True Buddhist” or “True Muslim” or “True Christian” etc. Either you are a Buddhist, Muslim or Christian etc OR you are NOT! Those who call themselves “True” Buddhists, Christians or Muslims have to follow their faiths the way they have been preached – if they do not, then no matter how many times they go to Temples Churches or Mosques, they cannot call themselves Buddhists, Christians or Muslims. Those who engage in any activities that are deplored by their religions cannot consider themselves as belonging to those religions.
TRUE BUDDHIST
You seem confused and dazed. Stop taking your fathers ganja.
TO MR APPUHAMI
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THAT’S WHAT I WROTE.RELIGIONS ARE PRACTICESS.WITHOUT GO TO ANY TEMPLE,CHURCH OR MOSQUE,ANY PRACTITIONER CAN PRACTICE THEIR FAITH.READING RELIGIOUS BOOKS DOESN’T MAKE ANY ONE FOLLOWER.TRUE BUDDHIST MEANS A TRUE PRACTITIONER.OTHERS ARE JUST TAKING THE LABEL AS BUDDHISTS,LOOK AT MOST OF MONKS,THEY SAY THEY BUDDHISTS WHILE EATING MEAT,SOME DRINKING ALKOHOL,SOME HAVE EVEN CHILDREN,SO,IT IS NEEDED TO MENTION TRUE BUDDHISTS OR FAKE BUDDHISTS,
I think Indonesia is nice!! DO YOU KNOW HOW INDONESIA BECAME A MUSLIM COUNTRY NOT TOO MANY YEARS AGO IN THE MODERN HISTORY? SO DOES THE AFGHANISTAN was a BUDDHIST COUNTRY!
Indonesia had the largest Budhhist temple in the world!
TURKS (MUSLIMS) CAME AND TOOK OVER ALL BUDDHISTS AND HINDUS OCCUPIED INDONESIA AND FORCED THEIR RELIGION OF MUSLIM AND MADE THE WHOLE BUDDHIST/HINDU COUNTRY TO A MUSLIM COUNTRY! THEN, THEY MASSACRED THE BUDDHISTS AND HINDUS WHO DID NOT FOLLOW MUSLIM. THAT’S HOW ALL THAT HAPPEND FOLKS, SO DON’T BE TOO EXCITED.
I wonder why people always carried away on different subjects totally out of context of the subject in focused here.
People, come on! Some of you seem to be waiting for an opportunity to tell blood born hateful stories and your differences in here. This article did not talk about “spirituality”, other religious stuff and all that and what they do, how right, or how wrong they etc, etc.
Why not make your views known on the issue in focused on this article that you are supposed to be commenting.
I don’t think having a Buddhist statue is considered a wrong thing or blasphemy by all Buddhists. For an example, if you have been in the west or south Asia you wouldn’t think so, because the Buddhist people who own their restaurants, shops and other businesses in many places have Buddhas’ statue sitting on the top of their roofs of the restaurants, or inside their business facilities which is a common seen. Only Theravada Buddhists get mad on this issue, i presume.
When you say Buddhism, you must bear in mind there are many (branches) or divisions of Buddhism. Other Buddhist divisions believe there’s nothing wrong having a statue of Buddha or blasphemous. It is because each branch of Buddhism is not the same. They differ in their beliefs, teachings and practice.
Editor, i hope you will allow some educated comments will appear in this column. Thanks
Do we have justice for the minority religions, and people in Sri Lanka? Good question ha my fellow SLankans.
keep that in mind always! we are 66 in the list (hope we will not become 666 which seems like a dangerous number according to reliable source)!
Some Buddhists here comment like they are tru buddhists. Thailand is a buddhist country. In Thailand every bar, every discotheque, every night club has a Budda as you enter. Why you guys dont protest against that frist?
Some one above says DM Jayaratne got involved in this Indonesian banning the Budda Bar. He can suggest to Thai government to ban Buddas in bars too. DM doesnt even know what is happening around him.
The real issue in SL today is MR trying to be in power for ever. Its worth stopping him first without uttering nonsence.
This DM man, before he is cultivater from gampola. Today he PM. What he know about right and wrong . Aney. umbatah giya kala. maara gona.
MANY OF HERE 3EXPRESING THEIR VIEVEDS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IS BUDDHISM IS.BUDDHISM IS NOT A RELIGION.IT IS SET OF PRACTICESS WHICH ARE USEFULL AND BENEFICIAL FOR DAILY LIVING WITHOUT DISTURB ANY ONE.RELIGIONS HAVE GOD,BUDDHISM DOESN’T REPRESENT GOD.IT IS PHILOSOPHY OF SELF IMPROVEMENT.
According to many Sri Lankan majority Sinhalese and Catholics, I thought all Muslims were terrorists and fiends…I am referring to the recent labelling of Muslims due to an alleged psychopath family’s torture of a Sri Lankan maid…I guess the ruling by the most populous Muslim nation is a fluke? I’d like my very learned Sinhalese… and ofcourse the agenda driven, Catholic Sri Lankans to enlighten me.. tee hee