Buddha bar ordered to close in Jakarta
An Indonesian court has ordered the Jakarta branch of Paris-based Buddha Bar to close after convicting the licence holder of blasphemy, according to AFP.
It also ordered the licensee, as well as the official Jakarta tourism agency and Jakarta Governor, Fauzi Bowo, to pay damages to the plaintiffs for distress.
The city authorities had failed to consider the religious sensitivities when they approved the licence, the judges said.
“The licence holder was found guilty of blasphemy and of using Buddhist symbols and ornaments at an inappropriate place.”
The plush lounge bar and restaurant is the France-based chain’s first franchise in Asia, but it sparked protests from the moment it opened in late 2008 in an upmarket area of central Jakarta.
Its trademark Oriental styling – including a large sitting Buddha figure which dominates the bar area – infuriated mainly Muslim Indonesia’s Buddhist minority, who organised protests and a legal challenge.
The owners of the bar reportedly vowed to appeal the court’s decision, which could have implications for other hotels, bars and restaurants that feature decorative statues of Buddha.
Ian Jarrett
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