PEOPLE WARNED OF PROXY WAR IN LGBT CAMPAIGN

By Andi Abdussalam

          Jakarta, Feb 27 (Antara) - The people are being warned of a proxy war amid pros and cons on the current issue of sexual orientation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people now allegedly seeking official state recognition.

         The emergence of the LGBT issue, which is seeking recognition in Indonesia is part of a proxy war. The war is launched to weaken and control a nation without the need to mobilize military forces, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu suspected.

         "I have written an article 15 years ago on modern wars, namely low cost wars. This (proxy war) has the same model," the minister said at his office Tuesday (February 23).

         The proxy war threat is dangerous to Indonesia because other nations do need to wage a war face-to-face. Therefore, the people are obligated to watch carefully the LGBT supporters who asked for legal recognition for their community, he said.

         "It (LGBT) is dangerous; we cannot physically see the enemy. Unconsciously their brains are washed and at the end they ask for independence and so on. That is dangerous," Ryamizard, who is a former Army chief, said.

         A proxy war is scary because the enemy is not seen. If at war against a country with military forces, the enemy could be detected and could be countered, he said.

        "In a proxy war, the nation is conquered unconsciously. If an atomic or nuclear bomb is placed in Jakarta, the capital city can be ruined, yet Semarang in Central Java is not affected. But a proxy war can ruin all. It is quite dangerous," Ryamizard remarked.

         "War using weapons is not dangerous. What is dangerous is a brainwashing war which defects the nation's ideology to the ideology of other countries," he stated.

         Besides the suspicion of its possible part in a proxy war, the LGBT movement is also considered a movement that violates human rights.

         "If there are colleagues who accused anti-LGBT supporters as anti-human rights, I will say that homosexual marriage hampers the reproduction rights of human beings, and that it is a violation of human rights," Din Syamsuddin, the chairman of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), said Thursday (February 25).

          The Holy Book of Al Quran states that a human being is bestowed with heterosexual orientation, he said. "Through the institution of marriage they produce descendants for the continuation of mankind on earth. Homosexuality cuts off the chain of human descendants," Din stressed.

          However, Din asked the people not to corner the LGBT. "No hate and scolding should be directed against them. They need guidance because they also have the right of living. But they should not ask others to join their group," Din noted.

          If they ask others to join their group, they will disturb the social order and morality, he said.

          "We cannot do much if they are strong in their stand individually. But if they ask others to join and launch a propaganda and demonstrations, then they create a problem," he said.

         The Central Executive Board of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), the largest Indonesian Muslim organization, is of the view that besides being against the religious teaching, the LGBT is a form of desecration of human dignity.

         "PBNU firmly rejects the movement to recognize the existence of LGBT," KH Miftahul Akhyar, the chairman of PBNU, said Thursday.

         His organization is of the view that campaigns launched to support the activities of LGBT violate the law and sanctions need to be imposed, the BPNU chairman said.

         PBNU, therefore, has asked the government to take immediate steps to stop all movements to support the LGBT activities, including foreign assistance funds.

         The PBNU stressed the importance of the issuance of a law that bans the LGBT and their behaviors in propagating their sexual orientation concept, he said.

         "One of their rights is to obtain rehabilitation and education," Miftah remarked.

         In the meantime, the Prosperous Justice Party faction (FPKS) in the House of Representatives (DPR) encouraged the issuance of an anti-LGBT law.

         "PKS will stand in the frontline for the initiation of the drafting of a Bill on an Anti-LGBT law in the Parliament. The PKS will do that as part of the efforts to stop the propaganda and movement of those supporting the LGBT," Jazuli Juwaini, the FPKS chairman said Thursday.

         However, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said there was no need for the government to issue a law to regulate personal affairs of their citizens including their sexual orientation.

         He made the statement in response to discourse about the need for a law to be produced to ban campaigns about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).

         "I think the state need not interfere in the internal affairs of its citizens. What needs to be banned is if you stage a rally by saying 'hey, friends let us be lesbians and gays. This is wrong'," he said.

          The government has, so far, never banned those with abnormal sexual orientation as it is the personal affairs of an individual, he said.

         However, the government has a right to ban any LGBT group which conducts campaigns for people to join them.

         "We consider it (sexual orientation) a usual matter because it is a personal affair. It will be unusual if it turns into movement to influence others to follow, moreover, by formalizing into a same sex marriage relationship," he said.

         Irregular sexual behavior is a personal affair of an individual and there is no need for it to be made known to the public, or for it to be turned into a movement to influence others to join it by supporting various kinds of activities supporting the LGBT community, he said.

        "We in Indonesia must continue living by following moral, cultural and religious norms," he said.

         In the meantime, the government is still cautiously monitoring the development of the LGBT issue.

         "We should not be in a hurry (to take a decision) that would lead us to over-react. This is an issue that has been developing in the society that should be responded to wisely," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affaris Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said.

         No side should be emotional in responding to the issue, he said.

         President Joko Widodo is continuously monitoring the developments of the issue and opinions developing in the society, he said.

         "But it does not mean that all should be heard. We will take a good and wise decision," Luhut affirmed, and added that he did not support the presence of the LGBT persons in Indonesia.

         He left the matter completely to the DPR if Indonesia was willing to issue a special law on the LGBT.

         "If the people want it, who can prohibit them?" he stressed. ***4***
(A.014/INE)(T.A014/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 27-02-2016 15:15:34