An FPI Update

Well, maybe I was a little premature with my comments (then again maybe not -- we will see) about the government not having the testicular fortitude to go after the FPI. However, as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating and not in the baking.

It appears the Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security Affairs, Widodo Adi Sucipto, is looking at freezing the activities of the FPI through the application of a 1985 law. This law is the Law on Community Organizations (Law No. 8 of 1985). The Law is set for review by the Parliament and a draft bill is currently being prepared.

It is one thing to pay lip service to the idea of upping the ante on the FPI, it is another thing altogether to take concrete steps towards forcefully changing these thug's attitudes through the strict application of the prevailing laws and regulations. The Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia, Hendarman Supandji, has been quick to jump in and say that it is not going to be as easy as just suspending the FPI. There are processes to be followed, such as issuing warnings or reprimands instructing them not to persist in their errant ways of violence and mayhem.

My understanding is that once a reprimand or warning has been issued the FPI would then have to perpetrate some further violence in breach of the reprimand. Then the government would have to go to the Supreme Court and seek an order to suspend the FPI. However, it would not be long after the reprimand before the FPI breached the provisions of the reprimand.

The leader of FPI, Habib Rizieq Shihab (photo courtesy of Kompas), has gone on the record with this:

"We will never allow for the arrest of a single member of our force before the government dissolves Ahmadiyah. We will fight to our last drop of blood."

So, it would be a little naive to think that the FPI will be changing their violent ways anytime soon!

The ball is clearly in the government's court...