Due To Ramadan, Embassy In Indonesia Celebrates 4th Of July Early

The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, celebrated our Independence Day on June 4th instead of July 4th, because it falls smack dab in the middle of the ever changing month of Ramadan, and US diplomats decided they did not want to offend. This year Ramadan starts on June 18th. Last year it started June 28th, in 2010 on August 11.

Ambassador to Indonesia Robert O. Blake and US Ambassador to ASEAN Nina Hachigian presided over the festivities, which involved brass band renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner and the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya.

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He also praised Indonesia’s performance as a fully functioning democracy, aiming for further collaboration between the two countries in the years to come.

“The US will continue to support Indonesia in the future through its democratic achievements. Democracy is an American value which we have championed since [the country’s birth in] 1776,” Blake told the crowd during the festivities at his residence near Taman Suropati, Central Jakarta, on Thursday.

U.S. dhimmitude at its very best.

Source: Jakarta Post