I have a delightful 20yo friend who i met in Kuala Lumper a year ago when he escaped from his family for a few hours during their holiday to Malaysia. He keeps asking me to visit him in Suryabaya but after reading the link below it looks like Indonesia is becoming a rather dangerous place for us to meet. I might put off travel plans to Indonesia for a while, if not forever unless i can meet my friend in Bali. I doubt his family would let him travel alone till he is much older. Am i over reacting or best to stay away from Indonesia?
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/w ... olice.html
Indonesia travel alert
Re: Indonesia travel alert
I don't believe you are over-reacting. Aceh where Sharia Law is in force is one province that should definitely be avoided, as pointed out in the article. In the rest of the country, excluding Bali it seems, there has been a very definite and growing anti-gay movement amongst some radical Muslims. In February last year a large number of men marched through Yogjakarta with signs reading "Being gay is a disease." And this anti-gay movement is not limited to the grass roots. Last year the Minister for Research, Technology and Education also took on the LGBT counselling service at one of the capital's universities by accusing it of corrupting the nation's youth. But there was worse to come. The Minister for Defence called the LGBT movement a modern form of warfare, suggesting that western nations were using gays to subvert the nation's sovereignty.
It is a sad irony that the LGBT movement actually supported the President in the elections which carried him to power but he has failed to take any material action to subdue these radical Islamist anti-gay movements. I certainly would not visit Indonesia for the time being other than for pure sightseeing. Sex with a local will definitely be off the agenda as I would not wish him to come to any form of harm.
It is a sad irony that the LGBT movement actually supported the President in the elections which carried him to power but he has failed to take any material action to subdue these radical Islamist anti-gay movements. I certainly would not visit Indonesia for the time being other than for pure sightseeing. Sex with a local will definitely be off the agenda as I would not wish him to come to any form of harm.
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Re: Indonesia travel alert
Many gays leave their families to live gay lifestyle in Bali...When I lived there almost all told me they would be killed by their families if they knew they were gay! I do not believe the attitude of the government has changed or is likely to change in its attitude toward gays. Other than Bali travel at your own risk!
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/worl ... aning.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/worl ... aning.html
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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Re: Indonesia travel alert
Sorry, GB, but in the context of the very serious issue aired in this thread I find that George Carlin vdo rather inappropriate. Did you perhaps mean to put it in the Taiwan gay marriage thread where the influence of Christian churches is questioned?
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Re: Indonesia travel alert
I do not.fountainhall wrote:I find that George Carlin vdo rather inappropriate.
Re: Indonesia travel alert
And didn't they say that foreigners were also arrested in that raid on the sauna (I think it is in Jakarta)?
Beware, aussie! Best stick to where you know.
Beware, aussie! Best stick to where you know.
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Re: Indonesia travel alert
I will follow yours and other poster's advise. If he is still keen later he can go for a holiday and visit me somewhere away from his family and Indonesia.a447 wrote:ABeware, aussie! Best stick to where you know.