Indonesian city cracks whip on FPI for gay harassment

In the ultra conservative Aceh province gay sex is punishable with 100 lashes.

Indonesia gay and lesbians
Members of the hardline Islamic group, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), stab an effigy of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok as they reject Ahok as their governor in front of Jakarta's city hall, December 1, 2014. Reuters

An Indonesian city is cracking down on hardline outfits that threaten the gay community and asking them to leave.

Bandung city mayor Ridwan Kamil has said members of a hardline Muslim group that put up "provocative" banners and harassed the gay people have been reprimanded.

"I have reprimanded the FPI (Islamic Defenders Front) for what they admitted they did," the mayor said, Reuters reported.

Earlier, members of the FPI had raided houses in the region to ferret out who they believe to be gay people.

An FPI spokesman was not immediately available for comment, the agency said.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country, but lesbians, gays and the transgender community don't usually face harassment in urban areas. However, there is still large element of intolerance to them in rural areas.

In the ultra conservative Aceh province gay sex is punishable with 100 lashes.

FPI also has the track record of unleashing violence on the Christian and Ahmediya minorities and burning down their places of worship.

This article was first published on January 29, 2016
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