Fridae

Bad news for the LGBT community in Indonesia in the last few weeks have included the Minister of Research and Higher Education suggesting banning LGBT groups from university campuses, a government shut down of HIV seminars, and the banning of gay emoticons from messaging apps.

The Banding Mayor Ridwan Kamil also spoke out against equal rights for LGBT.

However, at a media event on February 12, Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan told reporters that members of the LGBT community are entitled to protection because they are Indonesian citizens who have equal rights under the law.

"We will protect LGBT individuals no matter who they are or what they do, because they are still citizens of Indonesia and have rights that should be protected,” he said as quoted by Metro TV.

"I do not agree that [LGBT groups] should be expelled, killed or anything. I want us, as a nation, to have dignity, because it is not their choice. We do not know what their family backgrounds are like," he said.

The minister also urged anyone who disagreed with LGBT groups not to act with violence but to communicate with them rationally.

It was not all good news however as Luhut did say he was grateful that none of his family members were part of the LGBT community.