Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Will Begin Holy Muslim Fasting Month of Ramadan April 13 | Ministry of Religious Affairs: No Ramadan Gatherings in Covid-19 High Risk Zones | Papuan Regional Police

This year's Ramadan for most Muslims will be held under partial lockdown, adding the challenges of this arduous but spiritually rewarding month.

Unlike last year, large public gatherings celebrating Ramadan such as tarawih or communal fast-breaking are allowed. But the government called on Muslims to refrain from holding or attending crowd-pulling events during the Covid-19 outbreak to avoid transmission of the virus.

Source:

https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/04/12/210939374/indonesia-will-begin-holy-fasting-month-of-ramadan-april-13?page=all#page2. 

Ministry of Religious Affairs: No Ramadan Gatherings in Covid-19 High Risk Zones

The government might have loosened rules on mass Tarawih prayers or communal fast-breaking for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in 2021, more than a year after social distancing and other health protocols set up in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic curtailed social gatherings .

But Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced that the breaks will not extend to orange or red zone communities which remain at high risk of Covid-19.

“Communities that remain vulnerable to Covid-19 should carry out their Ramadan activities at home, so as to avoid Covid-19 transmission to their loved ones,” he said. “These include Tarawih prayers, communal fast-breaking, sermons or Id prayers during Eid-al Fitr or Lebaran.”

Yaqut maintained the measures are needed for the public to safely observe Ramadan and Lebaran.

On the other hand, the former head of the Ansor Youth Islamic organization assured that “mosques or musala prayer halls in yellow or green zones or Covid-19 free areas are permitted to hold tarawih prayers, sermons and Id prayers or other crowded events, as long as it is up to 50 percent capacity.”