Thousands of people of the Chinese ethnic flocked to Dharma Bhakti Temple in Banda Aceh on  Sunday  to join religious rituals and pray in conjunction with the celebration of the Chinese New Year or Imlek 2561.  Antara news agency reported that the Chinese people, the Buddha followers who reside in Aceh which applies strict Sharia law, started flocking to the temple since the wee hours of Sunday.

Besides following the religious rituals, the visitors of the temple were seen distributed snacks and 'angpao' (envelops containing money) to the needy.  The large crowd at the temple, which is located on Jl. Panglima Polim, attracted the attention of local people with many motorists slowing down the vehicles to catch the glances of the procession, which has been held there every year.  Head of the Dharma Bhakti Temple Foundation Yuswar said that about 2,000 Chinese people and  other Buddha followers joined the Imlek ritual in Banda Aceh every year.

“The Imlek celebration is intended to strengthen brotherhood and pray for Aceh to remain conducive  and enable it to maintain security,” Yuswar was quoted by Antara as saying. He said that the at the Imlek celebration, the Chinese in Aceh pray for improvement in the  economic condition in the country and at the same time pray for Indonesia to be able to come out of any difficulties.   We urge the Chinese descendants in Aceh to maintain and improve unity and respects others so that they can live peacefully among the heterogeneous community,” he said.  rri.co.id/dodo