What the Indonesian Government Really Means...

Religious freedom in its most basic essence, at least as I see it, is the idea that people are free to worship whatever they want and to be free from interference from others as they practice those beliefs. So, when Indonesia talks about religious freedom and a constitutionally guaranteed right to religious freedom is it really talking about this kind of pluralism or is it merely lip service and empty rhetoric? It is, as the past two days have shown, lip service and rhetoric. The government under SBY (Silly Bloody Yudhoyono or is that Stupid Buffalo Yudhoyono? I would go with the first because the second is a bad rap for all those good hard-working buffaloes out there making the lives of ordinary Indonesians better!).

The attack on the Ahmadiyah sect yesterday in Cikeusik in Banten was an example of murderous mob violence and the impotence of Indonesian law enforcement agencies to deal with this sort of extreme violence. The video is circulating on YouTube of the attack. And, apparently YLBHI has a full 30-minute version of the attack as it unfolds. The fact that a video exists is testament to one of two things: the pre-meditated planning that was involved that someone thought it necessary to videotape the incident for future reference or the nature of the communities in which we live that technology is cheap and everywhere and citizen journalism is but a mobile phone away.

SBY in his usual non-committal way whilst wearing a very serious face has suggested that there needs to be an investigation into the attack. The courageous leader then went on to say steps should be taken to prosecute anyone found to have violated the law. Uh huh! Mr. President, three men have been brutally murdered, these murders have been captured on video, so it is fair to say that numerous laws have been broken and there is video evidence of who was involved. Maybe your next step should be to get the FPI-affiliated National Police Chief you appointed to appoint Habib Rizieq to lead that there investigation! Incompetence breeds incompetence and unfortunately your administration is rife with incompetence. Even more unfortunate is that incompetence starts at the very top.

Let's face it, your first step has been to push the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto (aka the "Joke") to be your point man on the government's response to this. Sadly, his sum total contribution has been to remind Ahmadis to respect a joint ministerial decision that banned them from practicing their beliefs. Simply, the government is spinning this tragedy as one that could have been avoided if the Ahmadis would just allow the government to run roughshod over their constitutionally rights.

To be fair, the Joke did start off with saying that the government condemns the violence. Yet, the rest of the statement clearly shows that the government is looking to cast blame not on a mob intent on mayhem and murder but a small band of 25 followers of a sect that is of negligible threat to the broader practice of Islam in Indonesia.

But one has to question the method to the madness that is the SBY administration. Julian Aldrin Pasha, the SBY spokesman (hell of a job that one; chief spin doctor for a fraud), has said that the president has instructed the National Police Chief, Gen. Timur Pradopo, and the Religious Affairs Minister, Surydarma Ali, to head out to the site of the violence and explain to the public what went on and why. It is a no-brainer to work out where the government is going on this one, isn't it?

Perhaps Timur can explain how "embracing" FPI is beneficial to religious tolerance in Indonesia while Ali can busy himself with explaining how a small sect of limited followers can develop into a threat that is obviously destined to cause fractures in the unity of the Republic.

Perhaps it is time for SBY to stop worrying about protesters bringing buffalo to demonstrations and start working like a buffalo himself. Sadly, the people of Indonesia have been subject to a fraud of huge proportions since 2004.

The reality is that 2014 cannot come soon enough!

SBY and the State of the Nation...

You get what you vote for! It is so very unfortunate that Indonesians are having to realise this the hard way.

SBY has been a huge disappointment. He came to the presidency with a huge mandate for reform; bureaucratic and institutional, he has frittered that away. His legacy - "A Wasted Opportunity".

SBY gave his annual State of the Nation address in the lead up to Indonesian Independence Day on 17 August. The sad reality is that there are many, too many, Indonesians with not much to celebrate.

It was interesting to see the speech slapped with a fail grade. The speech was labeled as lacking inspiration, sans vision of a better Indonesia, normative, and narcissistic. There were even a few commentators that politely suggesting that the speech was all spin and no substance, with many of them focusing on the idea that tolerance was blossoming in the secular Indonesian state. This is clearly not the case.

Tolerance and harmony, the very "unity in diversity" (or from, if you prefer) is under daily attack. The president seemingly does not possess the testicular fortitude to confront those individuals and groups dedicated to destroying unity in diversity in preference for unity in a form of Islam that is signed off on by Habib Rizieq and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

Yes, Mr. President, it is time to stand up and be counted. It is time to stand up and protect the people who believed in you enough to give you the privilege of being president of the Republic of Indonesia. It is their country, you govern it in trust for the people.

Your presidency has been like watching a really poor adaptation of the "Emperor's New Clothes"...Stop kidding yourself and start doing your job!

Rizieq Shihab -- FPI

Rizieq Shihab, the head of the FPI (Front Pembela Islam / Islam Defenders Front), gets 18 months jail for his role in the violence that took place at Monas this past June.

There is likely to be an appeal as Rizieq's legal team will have issues with whether the procedural law was followed as it must be and that some of those that were interviewed and provided testimony have since withdrawn their testimony.

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...