By : Toni Ervianto *)
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Amid growing polarization among voters ahead of the simultaneous regional elections, the authorities have scrambled to ease the seemingly unabated tension stemming from an alleged blasphemy case. As President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been occupied in the past couple of weeks convening with a number of political and religious bigwigs, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police have taken several soft-approach measures aimed at defusing the tension.
Several conservative Muslim fringe groups have refused to lower the tension although the National Police declared Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja “Ahok” Purnama, a Christian of Chinese descent, a suspect in the blasphemy case. Recently, as several Islamic organizations work to recruit more participants, the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI) is set to join the next planned rally. KSPI chairman Said Iqbal said workers planned to go on strike and join the Dec. 2 rally in protest of the Jakarta administration’s minimum wage policy recently imposed in the city. Around 500,000 workers in Greater Jakarta areas will join the peaceful rally. Scheduled for Dec. 2, the rally aims to call for the arrest of incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who had been named a suspect in an alleged blasphemy case.
Meanwhile, Jokowi continued a tour of meetings with some of the nation’s most influential figures that began last month. Jokowi visited the headquarters of the country’s armed forces as well as Islamic organizations and political parties. Previously, Jokowi had been met with two high-profile guests at the Presidential Palace, Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto.
Given the series of recent events making national headlines, the meeting of the two high-profile politicians triggered speculation over a possible connection with massive public pressure on the authorities to charge Jakarta’s incumbent gubernatorial candidate Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. Essentially, during Jokowi-Prabowo meeting last week were shared their commitment to put the interests of the nation first and respect the principles laid out in the state ideology of Pancasila and the motto of “unity in diversity. “Pak Prabowo and I shared our commitment to maintaining the diversity of Indonesia,” Jokowi said.
Whilst, Prabowo added, was aimed at showing the young generation a culture that respected differences and that every leader in the country had a duty to maintain unity and peace. However, the two meetings that day raise questions about whether Jokowi, who has met a total of five party leaders, will also have a meeting with his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has been throwing a salvo of accusations at Jokowi recently.
Relations between the two became visibly tense earlier this month when Yudhoyono launched a tirade against the government, accusing it of producing a false intelligence report about him masterminding the Nov. 4 rally. Only hours after the rally, Jokowi firmly said he suspected political actors behind the rally, but, to date, he has not divulged their identity.
After Jokowi’s movement, in anticipation of another round of rallies by conservative Muslims, who will also join forces with labor unions, not only in Jakarta but in other places in the archipelago in early December, the TNI and the National Police held a joint massive prayer at the National Monument in Central Jakarta. Aimed at resonating peace and tolerance, around 20,000 personnel from all elements of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, as well as from the National Police, held a mass prayer under the theme “prayer for the safety of the nation”. A dozen habibs (religious leaders) participated in the event.
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said amid the growing polarization among voters who support different candidates, it was important to remind people not to blend politics with religious, ethnic and racial issues, which had the potential to disturb a democratic election. Security forces will continue to ensure stability and security. However, human efforts won’t suffice if we don’t have God’s blessings. TNI Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said the Friday mass prayers served as a reminder that the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia could only be realized with the help of figures from different religious backgrounds who fought for the country’s independence.
Shortly after the event, firebrand Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab confirmed that groups of anti-Ahok protesters would stage a third major rally against the governor on Dec. 2. The groups are under the so-called National Movement of Indonesian Ulema Council Edict Supporters (GNPF MUI). Rizieq, however, claimed that the demonstration would be “very peaceful” although the protesters would occupy the highway between the Semanggi intersection and the Presidential Palace. In opposition to such a movement, a coalition of civil society groups is set to hold a “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Parade”, a theme derived from the country’s motto “unity in diversity”, in the capital on Saturday. Participants of the rally are expected to wear red-and-white clothes or Indonesia’s traditional clothes and are prohibited from representing any organization, company or political party.
Politically Motivated
I think since the authorities had already fulfilled their demand to process Ahok through a transparent and fair mechanism, they should just wait for the next legal process. Public were suspicious that the demand to have Ahok imprisoned was politically motivated, its that means demanding the imprisonment have a certain political agenda for the upcoming elections.
The government has been efforting to solve Ahok’s case as soon as possible, transparent, no intervere from an excecutive to judicative communites, so whatever a political pressure which will be held after legal process has been running, its must cancelled. If the plan of November 25th, 2016 mass rally has been cancelled, I think its has been triggered by Jokowi’s opposition consolidation and conditioning a situation didn’t smoothly work, because a moderate Muslim communities, a civil society, a labour group and a national solidarity maker from various groups didn’t support opposition group’s propaganda on social media and a various communication channel.
Basically and potentially, the plan of December 2nd, 2016 mass rally is a part of proxy war in Indonesia. We must realize that all over the world have been given their deep concern, tribute and concern about our national diversity which they were assessted as the God blessing for Indonesia.
Why the plan of December 2nd, 2016 as a part of proxy-war because its could be triggered a kind of “Arab’s spring” will be happened in Indonesia. Besides of that, a mass crowd have potentially been to politized by unresponsible actor to create mass anarchiest or social, economic and political uncertainty situations in Indonesia which could be reasoned to impeachment the legal government with an one strategic reason is inadequate government to tackle those problems.
Last but not least, whatever conflict which was created, its could be “an entry point” for a radicals group to launch their attacks to make fearness, unstable situation including security intrusion and last target are a political coup to repleace the legal government. I hope the worst condition doesn’t happen at lovely our country. God blessing you all.
*) master degree at the University of Indonesia. a columnist at national and english newspaper. Resides in Jakarta.
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