The ban on activities again targets the Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation. Discrimination against minority groups.

October 30, 2023

EnlargeVisit of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Central Java to the Ahmadiyah Congregation in Semarang, Central Java, October 25, 2023. Doc. Ahmadiyah

Key points

• The Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation in Central Java is prohibited from holding its annual itjima meeting.
• Another option is that the activity can take place, but on the condition that the identity label of the Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation is not included.
• Another reason is because the 2024 election is approaching.

CENTRAL JAVA – Dodik Setyawan’s cell phone rang loudly. The tone of his phone’s call filled the living room of his residence after midday prayers, Friday last week. The Chairman of the Central Java Ansharullah Council Committee had just been contacted by Zaimah Hasanah, a staff member of the Central Java Ministry of Religious Affairs Regional Office.

Zaimah conveyed the news that the application for a permit for the activities of the Central Java Ahmadiyah Ansharullah Council submitted by Dodik could not be continued for approval by the Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Central Java Province, Musta’in Ahmad. “The recommendation cannot be continued by referring to the Joint Decree (SKB) of 3 Ministers Number 3 of 2008,” said Dodik to Tempo, Friday, October 27.

Read:
– Ahmadiyah without State Protection
– Victims of Intolerant Actions Have Minimal Protection

Dodik explained that the application for activity permit was submitted to the Central Java Regional Police, the National Unity and Politics Agency, and the Central Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. In fact, said Dodik, this was just a regular activity, in the form of a gathering, blood donation, and spiritual competition held together with the Interfaith Communication Forum (FKUB).

According to Dodik, the Central Java FKUB has recommended that the activity be granted permission to be implemented. The Central Java FKUB Circular Number 023/FKUB-JT/09/2023 stated that the activity was considered an effort to strengthen national ties to the implementation of religious moderation.

Indonesian Ahmadiyya Congregation holds National Jalsah Salanah (annual gathering) 2023. Doc. Ahmadiyah

According to the plan, the Central Java Ahmadiyah Ansharullah Council will hold the Annual Meeting of the Central Java Ansharullah Council. The event is planned to take place at the Donohudan Hajj Dormitory, Boyolali, Central Java, on November 17-19. In the proposal, the committee stated that the event is claimed to be attended by 1,500 members of the Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation.

Panitia kemudian meminta izin pelaksanaan, salah satunya, kepada Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Jawa Tengah. Tapi, berdasarkan warkat resmi Nomor 20.036/Kw.11.7/2/BA.00/10/2023 tertanggal 20 Oktober 2023 yang diteken Musta’in Ahmad, Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Jawa Tengah tidak dapat merekomendasikan untuk melanjutkan kegiatan Majelis Ansharul Ahmadiyah Jawa Tengah itu.

Dodik mengatakan panitia tetap tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa setelah adanya surat tersebut. Menurut dia, rekomendasi dari FKUB Jawa Tengah dan penjelasan rinci mengenai kegiatan tidak membuat hasil rapat Forum Komunikasi Pimpinan Daerah setempat berubah. Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Jawa Tengah tetap berpegang pada SKB 3 Menteri Nomor 3 Tahun 2008 tentang perintah dan peringatan keras kepada penganut, anggota, dan pengurus Jemaat Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JAI). “Fatwa Majelis Ulama Indonesia tentang aliran Ahmadiyah juga mendasari keputusan menolak rekomendasi kegiatan,” ucap Dodik.

Mubalig JAI Jawa Tengah Maulana Saefullah Ahmad Farouk mengatakan panitia telah mengajukan permohonan izin pada dua bulan sebelum waktu penyelenggaraan kegiatan. Menurut dia, proposal dan rangkaian serta jadwal lengkap kegiatan juga sudah diberikan semuanya. Namun Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Jawa Tengah tetap tidak dapat melanjutkan rekomendasi kegiatan. “Selain SKB 3 Menteri, alasan lainnya adalah situasi politik menjelang pemilihan presiden 2024.”

Maulana mencoba memahami alasan yang disampaikan Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Jawa Tengah. Sebagai warga negara, dia dan JAI mencoba mematuhi hasil keputusan pemerintah, meski pada kenyataannya hubungan antar-umat beragama di wilayah Jawa Tengah adem ayem saja. “Selama ini kami tidak pernah berselisih paham dengan umat beragama lainnya,” ujarnya.

JAI, Maulana melanjutkan, berharap kegiatan ini dapat dilangsungkan pada tahun berikutnya mengingat pesta elektoral sudah rampung digelar pada Februari 2024. “Jadi, kalau ditolak saat ini, kami coba legowo saja.”

Maulana mengungkapkan, Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Jawa Tengah sebelumnya menawarkan opsi lain terhadap acara tersebut. Menurut dia, rekomendasi dapat diberikan dan acara dapat dilanjutkan, tapi dengan syarat label identitas JAI tidak dicantumkan dalam kegiatan tersebut. “Kami tidak mau. Kami lebih memilih dan berharap agar ini bisa dilaksanakan pada tahun depan saja,” ujarnya.

Tempo belum mendapat konfirmasi dan tanggapan perihal penolakan acara tersebut. Musta’in Ahmad, melalui stafnya, Zaimah Hasanah, belum merespons pertanyaan yang dikirimkan Tempo ke nomor telepon selulernya hingga berita ini ditulis. Kepala Bidang Humas Kepolisian Daerah Jawa Tengah Komisaris Besar Stefanus Satake Bayu bersikap setali tiga uang.

Jemaat Ahmadiyah Indonesia menggelar Jalsah Salanah (pertemuan tahunan) Nasional 2023. Dok. Ahmadiyah

Ahmadiyah Bukan Organisasi yang Dilarang Undang-Undang

Responding to this, Setara Institute Research Director Halili Hasan said the ban on JAI activities in Central Java not only shows how paranoid the state is towards minority religious groups. The ban, according to Halili, also perpetuates endless discrimination.

“This also provides space for conservative and intolerant groups to make minority issues part of their consolidation,” Halili said when contacted on a separate occasion yesterday. Even with the pretext of stability and political conditions ahead of the 2024 presidential election, he said, this has no causality with the activities of religious groups.

This ban, according to Halili, is an attempt to continue to discriminate against minority groups by legitimizing regulations that are essentially under the 1945 Constitution. “JAI is not an organization that is prohibited by law. The fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council or MUI considers them deviant,” he said.

Halili emphasized that MUI is not a state institution. So, it is only right that the government return to obeying the rules of the state, namely obeying the constitution. “Moreover, as far as I know, the people in Central Java are very aware of diversity. They are progressive.”

Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Andi Muhammad Rezaldy said that instead of banning religious activities, local governments should provide space and facilitate activities aimed at maintaining religious moderation. “After all, these activities are guaranteed by law,” he said.

Kontras, he said, also urged the government, both at the regional and central levels, to guarantee freedom for any religious group. Rezaldy asked the government to synergize, especially implementing norms and regulations based on human rights principles. “The policy must later be implemented at the local and central levels, both in writing and in the form of discretion,” he said.

ANDI ADAM FATURAHMAN

source https://www.tempo.co/politik/paranoia-terhadap-kelompok-ahmadiyah-819655

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