MUI Strongly Rejects LGBT Community Gathering in Jakarta

Jakarta, MINA – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community in ASEAN will meet in Jakarta. However, the Head of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Da’wah, Cholil Nafis srongly reject the plan.

“This meeting of the LGBT community is totally against religion, Pancasila and human normality. We reject it. Astaghfirullah. This has deviated and is still campaigning again. I forever reject this deviation, especially in Indonesia,” said Cholil in a tweet on Tuesday.

“Don’t let it be considered normal let alone legalized. This is against religion, Pancasila and normal human beings. Refuse!,” he said.

The planned meeting, called ASEAN Queer Advocacy Week (AAW), will be organized by the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, an organization under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN) since 2021, together with Arus Pelangi and the Asia Forum.

Previously, through an announcement on Instagram that has now been deleted, @aseansoegicaucus, they invited queer activists based in Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia to join.

“Are you queer activists based in Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia? Come join us in the ASEAN Queer Advocacy Week (AAW) this July,” wrote the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus on Monday.

AAW itself is mentioned as a place for Southeast Asian LGBTQ activists to connect with each other and strengthen advocacy with one another.

In their announcement, Arus Pelangi and Asean Sogie Caucus stated that it was hoped that AAW would become one of the tools for LGBT activists in the region to find their own alternative regionalism.

However, currently the exact location of this event is still a mystery. The committee only provided information that Jakarta would host the meeting without specifying a location. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)