by MELLISA CROUCH
Demonstrators assembled at the National Monument in Jakarta on 1 June 2008 to show support for Ahmadiyah. The banner reads ‘Stop violence in the name of religion’. PHOTO/Salbiyah Mushanif
Opposition to Ahmadiyah
Since its arrival in Indonesia, some mainstream Islamic religious leaders have denounced Ahmadiyah and its teachings as ‘deviant’. Most prominent among its opponents is the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) which issued a fatwa (Islamic legal opinion) against Ahmadiyah in 1980 and again in 2005. Many radical Islamic groups continue to express their opposition to Ahmadiyah in the form of demonstrations and violent attacks.
One of the most prominent incidents was the attack on supporters of Ahmadiyah by radical Islamic groups that took place on 1 June 2008 at the National Monument in Jakarta. On this day, a peaceful rally was held by activists of the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith, a coalition representing over 70 organisations in support of the right to religious freedom. During this rally, around 400 members of radical Islamic groups, including the Islamic Defenders Front, Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia and the Islamic Community Forum, violently attacked the Alliance demonstrators with clubs and sticks. Around 70 people were injured, some hospitalised, with many also suffering trauma as a result of the attack.
This incident prompted the Department of Religion, the Attorney General and the Department of Home Affairs to issue a joint regulation several days later as a ‘warning’ to followers of Ahmadiyah. It made four key points. First, it warned citizens not to support or conduct activities that ‘deviate’ from the teachings of the six state-sponsored religions (Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism). Second, it warned followers of Ahmadiyah not to promote ‘deviant’ teachings, namely the belief in a prophet after Muhammad. Third, it informed followers of Ahmadiyah that if they did not comply with this warning they would be liable to penalties under existing laws, although such penalties were not specified in any further detail. Fourth, it prohibited vigilantism, presumably in response to the National Monument incident, by warning the public that vigilante action against Ahmadiyah would not be tolerated.
This warning, however, has failed to prevent further violent attacks against Ahmadis, such as the incident in Cikeusik. In addition, the warning has provided justification for local government authorities intent on banning Ahmadiyah.
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