Buddhists prefer dialogues to sealing off of Buddha Bar

The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Fri, 03/06/2009 10:49 AM  

Buddhist organizations deemed the sealing off Thursday of the Buddha Bar in Menteng, Central Jakarta, by Buddhist students as an expression of disappointment, and “not a Buddhist act”.

Alim Sudio, secretary-general of the Indonesian Pandita Sabha Buddha Dharma Foundation, said sealing off the bar was not the Buddhist way of seeking a solution. 

“Our way is never to force anything. A dialogue is needed,” he said.

Buddha bless us: Indonesian Buddhist students rally Thursday outside the Buddha Bar restaurant in Central Jakarta. Around 200 students staged the rally in protest at the bar’s name, saying it defamed their religion, and urged the name to be dropped. (Reuters/Supri)

More than 100 people from the Buddhist Student Alliance sealed off the bar on Jl. Teuku Umar by draping a yellow line across the bar’s entrance in protest at the establishment’s use of the name Buddha.

The protesters said it was a holy name and should not be linked with an entertainment venue like a bar.

Alim said an open dialogue between representatives of Buddhist groups, the government and the bar’s owners had to be arranged.

“The Buddha Bar management also has to be given a chance to have a say,” said the Buddhist priest.

“Sealing off the bar was a move by our friends who wanted the Buddha positioned appropriately,” said Gatot Sukarno Adi, deputy secretary-general of Walubi, the Indonesian federation of Buddhist organizations.

He added the important thing was to arrange a dialogue where both parties did not lose anything.

“We have to find a good solution.”

A dialogue at the House of Representatives had been arranged by the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), but it was not a two-or three-party meeting, he said.

He added the controversy broke out because the government did not notify the Buddhist community before granting permits for the bar.

“The government should have informed us before issuing the permits, to ask whether it was acceptable for us,” Gatot said.

The management of the bar told beritajakarta.com they had secured approval from three different Buddhist groups.

The bar also came under the spotlight after critics raised concerns about the use of the heritage building where the bar is housed.

The city repurchased the old Dutch Immigration Office for Rp 28 billion and renovated it for Rp 6.1 billion in 2005. It promised to transform the building into a “unique venue” where all Jakarta residents could hold activities.

The administration said the bar had an art gallery that the public was welcome to visit, but critics countered that the bar’s clientele was limited to certain groups.

The franchisor of the Buddha Bar is the Paris-based George V Entertainment, which owns a global chain of hotels, spas, restaurants and boutiques. The group uses various names of the Buddha in its Buddha Bar, Siddharta Café, Little Buddha Cafe, and Buddhattitude Spa. (iwp)

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