Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia is not an Islamic state although
more than 80 percent of its 250 million people are Muslims, and
therefore it rejects the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)s
ideology on its land.
"Indonesia is a state that believes in one supreme God but it is
not a country based on a certain religion," President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono said when delivering his last state-of-the-nation address
related to the 69th anniversary of Indonesias Independence at the
Parliament Building in Jakarta, on August 15, 2014.
Proclaiming its independence on August 17, 1945, Indonesia has its
state ideology called "Pancasila" (Five Principles) consisting of
Belief in the one and only God; Just and civilized humanity; Unity of
Indonesia; Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising
out of deliberations amongst representatives; and Social justice for
all the people of Indonesia.
Indonesia, which officially recognizes six religions: Islam,
Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, has
announced its rejection of the ISIS and has banned the teaching of ISISs
ideology in the country.
In his address, Yudhoyono urged the public to maintain their
identity as Indonesians which are characterized by Pancasila -
diversity, the spirit of unity, tolerance, politeness, pluralism and
humanity.
"If our founding fathers struggled for independence to the last
drop of their blood, it is our generation today that has to defend the
characteristics of Indonesia to the last drop of their blood. It is for
this reason, the government strongly rejects the propagation of the
misguided teaching of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in
Indonesia because it is completely against, and even detrimental to our
identity," he said.
The governments stance on the ISIS was praised by the Indonesian
House of Representatives (DPR). "The House supports the firm stance of
the government that bans the ISIS ideology in Indonesia," House
Speaker, Marzuki Alie, stated while opening the joint session of the
House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional Representative Council
(DPD), and the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR), with the presidents
address being the only item on the agenda.
The ISIS ideology was extremely radical and had the potential to hinder national security and stability, Alie stated.
The government and the public must safeguard Indonesian unity by
rejecting movements or organizations such as the ISIS whose ideology
contradicts Indonesias Pancasila ideology, he emphasized.
Most Muslim-based organizations in Indonesia have denounced the violence committed by the ISIS and rejected its ideology.
The ISIS movement was more dangerous than the radicals in this
country, Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) general chairman, Din
Syamsuddin, has stated.
"If other groups (the radicals) make America an enemy, the ISIS
makes Muslims their enemies," Din said recently, adding that the ISIS
can destabilize the nation and the state.
The ISIS becomes very dangerous because it is laden with violence,
destruction, demonstration, and use of weapons, according to him.
In spreading its teachings, the ISIS justifies violence, such as
suicide bombings, looting banks, mass murder, rapes, as well as damaging
sanctuaries.
MUI and representatives of 38 Muslim organizations in the country
have prohibited the ISIS, but decided there was no need to set a "fatwa
haram" (illicit edict), he pointed out.
To prevent the spread of ISIS teachings in Indonesia, the
Indonesian National Police is collaborating with immigration officials
to tighten the supervision of Indonesian citizens traveling to Iraq and
Syria.
"The police is working closely with the immigration office and
coordinating with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights for
identifying Indonesian citizens who go directly to Iraq and Syria or
through the countries of the Middle East," Indonesian National Police
Chief, General Sutarman, stated in Jakarta recently.
The police had received information that there were 56 Indonesians
who went to Syria, of which four had died, according to him.
The police has mapped a local group, which is allegedly affiliated
with the ISIS, and communities who have been influenced by their
ideology.
A joint team of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and police
personnel recently arrested seven people suspected to be supporters of
the ISIS movement, including their chief, Chep Hermawan.
Chep Hermawan was arrested after he declared himself the ISIS chief
for the Indonesian region several days ago along with six others at a
gas filling station in Cilopadang, Cilacap, Central Java.
Meanwhile, the Jakarta Police has been monitoring the cyber world to track the developments of the ISIS.
"We are patrolling the cyber world to monitor the ISIS networks in
Indonesia," Adjunct Senior Commissioner, Hilarius Duha, the Jakarta
Polices Cyber Crime sub-directorate head, stated recently.
The monitoring was crucial to detect any spread of the ideology or
teachings banned by the Indonesian government, he added. The Jakarta
Police has also sent security officers and intelligence agents to detect
the likely presence of ISIS members, he noted.
A public campaign was also carried out to increase public awareness of the dangers of ISIS, he added. (WDY)
Indonesia Sees ISIS As Threat To Its National Identity
Sabtu, 16 Agustus 2014 14:13 WIB