26/04/2022 VOA INDONESIA
- Rio Tuasical
In its “2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Indonesia,” the US Department of State highlighted the intimidation of the Ahmadiyah community in Sintang, West Kalimantan. This is not the first time that the persecution of Ahmadiyah in Indonesia has been highlighted by the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the report released April 12, the US government highlighted the destruction of the Ahmadiyah mosque in Sintang last February. The US State Department documented that the destruction was preceded by demonstrations and circulars for the demolition of the mosque.
The persecution of the Ahmadiyah community in Indonesia has also been highlighted in the US State Department’s “2020 International Religious Freedom” report. The report stated that the Ahmadiyah, along with the Shia community, felt under pressure from intolerant groups. The report notes the emergence of discriminatory local regulations against Ahmadiyah, such as in Bogor Regency.
Ahmadiyah Experience the Most Violence
Research by the SETARA Institute in Indonesia confirms that the Ahmadiyya is the group that experiences the most violence. SETARA researcher, Ikhsan Yosarie, said that of the 2,713 incidents of religious freedom violations in 2007-2020, 570 incidents or around 21% were experienced by the Ahmadiyya community.
“So we are no longer in a matter of one, two, or one. But already hundreds. So with that number, discussions and guarantees for the Ahmadiyah Minority group need to be increased and become a public discussion,” he said at the launch of the Ahmadiyah inclusion research in Jakarta, Thursday (21/4).
SETARA’s research reveals that violence against this group began to emerge after the New Order, which was exacerbated by various discriminatory regulations.
“So violence or intolerance is starting to become institutionalized. Then in 2008 the issuance of the Decree of 3 Ministers became the main trigger for the hectic discrimination against JAI. Because regulations on a national scale are the bottom-up justification. We can see that after 2008 the ban on Ahmadiyah was born in the regions,” he explained.
Based on Komnas Perempuan’s records, there are 35 discriminatory local regulations targeting the Ahmadiyya community.
Ahmadiyya mingled for a long time
The high level of violence against Ahmadiyah is ironic because, as this research reveals, the Ahmadiyya community has been mingling with the wider community for a long time.
SETARA researcher, Sayyidatul Insiyah, said that the Ahmadiyya is active in various social activities through its various organizational wings. The Lajnah Imaillah (LI) organization, for example, is the largest eye donor in Indonesia.
“The Lajnah Imaillah (LI) organization has also actively contributed to donating in the form of donations to the victims of the Aceh tsunami. His contribution is quite large, we found that his contribution was 3.5 billion Rupiah, and also sent 100 doctors to the tsunami location in 2004,” he explained.
Depok Ahmadiyah Lives Ramadan in Silence
This study also notes that the Ahmadiyya community in Konawe Selatan and Manislor participate actively in various community activities.
Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Congregation (JAI), Yendra Budiana, said that his party had mingled since its presence in Indonesia in 1925. At the time of Indonesian independence, the Ahmadiyya caliph called for the recognition of Indonesia as an independent nation. He ordered all Ahmadiyah missionaries in Europe, Asia and America.
“This illustrates that the inclusion of the Ahmadiyya has been very early. In the early days of independence, Ri played a very important role. For example, the first PB JAI chairman, Rd Moehyidin, became the first Secretary of the RI Anniversary Committee,” he explained.
Yendra said that Ahmadiyah also played a role in making the nation proud in the international arena. Badminton athlete Olich Solichin won the Thomas Cup in 1958 and Tutang Djamaluddin won a medal in the 1962 Asian Games. “So Ahmadi have been people who are inclusive, fluid, and want to play a role in every humanitarian and national movement,” he added.
These various records show that the Ahmadiyya community has contributed to caring for Indonesia, said Komnas Perempuan Commissioner, Dewi Kanti. He hopes that more members of the public will know the progress of the Ahmadiyya community.
“The Ahmadiyya congregation as part of the nation’s citizens is actually not a threat to this country. It even contributes to caring for Indonesianness and developing wisdom values,” he said in response to SETARA’s research.
“So this community hacks prejudice and discrimination with human values. Develop cooperation that penetrates the barriers of diversity,” he added. [rt/em]
Categories: Ahmadis, Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Asia, Indonesia