Thread: Tensions flare at Jakarta protest

Jakarta governor a blasphemy suspect
42 MINUTES AGONOVEMBER 16, 2016


Indonesian police have named the minority Christian governor of the country's capital as a suspect in a blasphemy investigation in a major test of the Muslim-majority nation's reputation for religious toleration.

Earlier this month the capital Jakarta was rocked by a massive protest by conservative Muslims against the governor. One person died and dozens were injured in rioting.
Police announced at a press conference that the popular governor, Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, can't leave the country while the investigation is under way.

The accusation of blasphemy against Ahok, an ethnic Chinese and Christian who is an ally of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, has galvanized Jokowi's political opponents in the Muslim-majority nation of 250 million.

Jakarta governor a blasphemy suspect

Seems they are determined to jail him...

COMMENTARY: Ahok’s case: Jokowi steps back, but moves three steps forward
Rendi A. Witular
The Jakarta Post
   
Jakarta | Thu, November 17, 2016 | 07:01 am

COMMENTARY: Ahok’s case: Jokowi steps back, but moves three steps forward
Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama visited Bareskrim’s headquarters on Oct. 24 to clarify recent statements he made, which were alleged to have insulted Islam. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, a former carpenter, is taking his opponents into a game of political chess. A decision by the police to name incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama a suspect for alleged blasphemy may have well been a calculated risk — a necessary evil to secure bigger political gains.

After all, Jokowi will never allow Ahok, his friend, to drown.

Since a dozen conservative Muslim groups reported Ahok to the police in October, accusing him of blasphemy, the movement to have him prosecuted got louder and bigger, culminating in the violent Nov. 4 rally in front of the State Palace and triggering a minor riot in a Chinese residential area in North Jakarta.

Although Jokowi believes “political actors” to be behind the violence, pressure remained to have Ahok prosecuted or even jailed because of the case, with many groups, including labor unions, planning a larger rally for Nov. 25, if their demands are unheeded.

Jokowi and several people in the government are already concern that the previous rally and the upcoming one are not only about Ahok but also about attempts to coerce the President into complying with the demands of the few for a “bigger slice of cake”.

Some may have called it a “mini coup” attempt, but it was actually merely pressure by several politicians (including from political parties in Jokowi’s ruling coalition), state officials, public figures, religious luminaries and activists who have been starved of resources since Jokowi took office in 2014.

The movement has somehow attracted a swath of naïve conservative Muslims into the fray, thus creating a snowball effect that if not immediately contained may have the potential to ignite sectarian conflicts that may undermine the presidency.

Realizing the sheer scale of the movement, Jokowi has since consolidated his power by visiting the headquarters of the Army, the special forces and the police, as well as by meeting leaders of the top Muslim organizations and the Islamic parties in his coalition.

Perhaps Jokowi’s roadshows are not only aimed at forging “better communications”, but also at signaling that the President means business; unconstitutional attempts to destabilize a legitimate government and devastate the nation’s unity will not be tolerated.

As calls for Ahok’s prosecution continued unabated, Jokowi may have had no other option but to allow police to name the governor a suspect and then tell him to hang onto the edge of the cliff while the President takes out his enemies one by one before coming back to rescue him.

It may be naïve to think that the police, an institution under the auspices of the President, made the decision without receiving prior consent from Jokowi, who may have even instructed the decision to be made so as to give him an edge.

First, the decision will calm conservative Muslims and perhaps deter them from hitting the streets in another rally. An unintended casualty in the rally, such as a killed protester, would wreak havoc on security in the capital as the protesters would flare up and commit violence in revenge for their fallen mujahideen.

Second, as demands from the conservative Muslims to have Ahok prosecuted have been met, the police will no longer hesitate to take stern measures against religious figures and activists, as well as against their financiers, who provoked the violence in the Nov. 4 rally.

This includes demands for the prosecution of Buni Yani, a communications lecturer, for allegedly inciting hatred after he distributed a video of Ahok uttering the alleged blasphemy and uploaded part of it onto his Facebook page with a provocative heading.

The video contains footage in which Ahok speaks to residents and city officials in the Thousand Islands about voting rights. The governor cites Al-Maidah, verse 51 of the Quran, which has often been used by politicians to deter Muslim voters from electing non-Muslims.

Free-riding politicians, who have been toying with religious sentiments by using issues related to Ahok to their advantage, will not likely be left out of the loop. Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is a particular person of interest for Jokowi.

Yudhoyono’s son, Agus Harimurti, is competing with Ahok in the Jakarta gubernatorial election and Yudhoyono publicly attempted to erode the possibility of Ahok winning the race with an irresponsible intervention into the furor surrounding the governor and the alleged blasphemy, demanding a trial in a tone that contained more than a hint of provocation.

Third, the suspect status will actually give an advantage to Ahok’s camp as some part of the public will perceive him as the victim of a miscarriage of justice and this will garner him more support in the election. Using religious sentiment for the selection of leaders does not sell well in Jakarta and the Nov. 4 rally was actually dominated by participants from outside the capital.

Fourth, the governor’s status has proven to the public that Jokowi is not protecting Ahok, as the President has taken sides with the demands of the conservative Muslims.

How can Jokowi, raised in a secular environment in Surakarta, Central Java, where Javanese mysticism runs high, then return to prevent Ahok from falling off the cliff?

Ahok’s prosecution will be a complicated one, and it could take years for the case to be final and legally binding. Even after the police have wrapped up their investigation, the case should be processed by the Attorney General’s Office, which is helmed by a senior politician from the NasDem Party, a member of Jokowi’s coalition and the first party to endorse Ahok as a gubernatorial candidate.

But despite all the troubles, Jokowi may have a claim to victory as he can now identify friends and foes within his government and coalition, prepare his “cleansing measures” against the opponents and gain more support from conservative Muslims — the only group from which Jokowi is lacking support

Police charged uploader of Ahok’s controversial video with incitement

As the Indonesian National Police has intensified their investigation into blasphemy allegations against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, several individuals who were at the forefront in demanding his prosecution are now facing legal charges, The Jakarta Post online reported on Friday.

Buni Yani whose video footage containing incomplete transcription of Ahok’s controversial citation of a Quranic verse that went viral and led to demand of the governor’s prosecution was, on Wednesday night, charged by the police with incitement under Article 28 of the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Law on hate speech, which carries a maximum of six years’ imprisonment.

In the video which was uploaded on Buni’s Facebook page, Ahok said: “Don’t believe those people. It is possible that deep in (your) heart, you cannot vote for me. (You are) deceived (by other people) using Al-Maidah 51.”

But the caption for the video, Buni quoted Ahok as saying: “(you are) deceived by Al-Maidah 51.” Buni has admitted that he inadvertently omitted the missing words.

Police, on Thursday, said they would not detain Buni, but he was barred from travelling abroad. The police made the same decision with Ahok.

Police also have confiscated Buni’s cellphone and taken over the access to his two email accounts and his Facebook account.

Buni’s lawyer Aldwin Rahadian said his client did not edit Ahok’s remarks and he was not the first to upload a video of Ahok’s speech in Thousand Islands.

Also on Thursday, police began investigation into a defamation case involving musician Ahmad Dhani who is accused of insulting President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo when he took part in the massive anti-Ahok rally on November 4.

Islam Defenders Front leader Rizieg Shihab and artist Rama Sarumpaet have been summoned by police as witnesses in the case.

Police charged uploader of Ahok?s controversial video with incitement |

Good. Interesting politics behind all of this. It's a battle for the presidency.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Good. Interesting politics behind all of this. It's a battle for the presidency.

It's sadly reminiscent of the anti-Christian/Chinese nonsense that's been plaguing Malaysia for so long.

200,000 Muslims rally in Indonesia to protest against ‘blaspheming’ Christian governor

Published time: 2 Dec, 2016 15:52

Over 200,000 Indonesian Muslims have staged a protest against the Christian governor of Jakarta, demanding his arrest for alleged blasphemy.
The demonstration was even bigger than the last one held earlier in November, which attracted around 100,000 Muslims. The crowd, clad in traditional white robes and skullcaps, chanted and prayed in unison at the National Monument on Friday.
“Let’s defend our religion,” Rizieq Shihab, leader of Islamic Defenders’ Front (FPI) – a hardline Islamist group – said at the rally in a speech quoted by AFP. “Stop all forms of religious blasphemy and put all violators on trial.”
The demonstration, which was organized by the FPI vigilante group, called for the arrest of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, the ethnic Chinese Christian governor of Jakarta. Ahok is accused of disrespecting the Koran, a charge that could lead to five years in prison.
“I’ve been called to defend Islam,” Lisnawati Djohar of West Sumatra told AFP. “As a Muslim, I feel guilty if I refuse a demand to defend my religion. I believe Ahok insulted the holy Quran and it’s hurt us.”
Indonesian President and Ahok ally, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, made an appearance at the rally, unexpectedly appearing at the National Monument to pray with demonstrators before urging them to peacefully go home. This was followed by cheers from the crowd, and some proceeded to quietly make their way out.
Security was heightened for the rally on Friday. The previous one, held on November 4, led to clashes in which 100 people were wounded and one was killed. Police staged drills and brought in water cannons and riot vehicles in preparation for the protest. Friday’s demonstration, however, seemed to be peaceful.
The protests against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama stem from his use of a verse from the Koran in a speech about his political opponents, who he accused of using the passage to justify not voting for him. Purnama has since apologized for the remark, saying he intended to criticize his opponents and not the Koran itself. The scandal has gripped Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, which has recently seen rising Islamist sentiments.


https://www.rt.com/news/369022-prote...ian-blasphemy/

Evicted Jakarta Residents Join Hardline Rally Against Governor



JAKARTA —
Far-right Islamic parties were the driving force behind a massive religious demonstration Friday against Jakarta's governor, but those weren't the only interests represented among protesters. Hundreds of residents of poor neighborhoods like Luar Batang and Pasar Ikan, where the governor has pushed for massive evictions, also showed up in solidarity.

The rally was the second major protest against the governor, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian who has been accused of blasphemy. More than 200,000 protesters showed up for the demonstration convened by the right-wing Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) party, and they were joined by Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, who made a surprise visit and urged the crowds to remain peaceful.

Many of those who gathered are upset over Ahok’s aggressive eviction policies in North Jakarta. Development in the area, which abuts the waterfront and has a scenic old town and harbor, has affected more than 16,000 residents.

His administration hopes to turn Luar Batang, which has a historic mosque, into a religious site, and Pasar Ikan, which means “fish market,” into a tourist area. They say the neighborhoods are unsuitable for residences because of frequent flooding and rising ocean levels.

Less than one-third of affected residents has been offered alternative accommodations, according to the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation. And those who have are reluctant to leave for crumbling apartments in North and East Jakarta, far from their families and hyperlocal economies.


FPI’s opportunism

It’s no accident that residents of these neighborhoods were easily able to mobilize mass protests. As soon as the government threatened to evict about 1,000 Luar Batang residents in April 2016, FPI set up a charity operation there. They supplied food and clothing to potential eviction victims for three months, and when they closed shop in June, they had accrued strong ideological support from local citizens.

“I’ve studied FPI for over a decade and they have no particular interest in poverty, social justice, or land rights,” said Ian Wilson, who researches Indonesian politics at Murdoch University in Australia. “I think they just saw a good opportunity to exploit popular support.” People who live in evicted neighborhoods share a common enemy with FPI, which opposes Ahok for his ethnicity and liberalism. “What is surprising to me, though, is how fast young people in these neighborhoods have become sucked into FPI ideology, especially on social media. It’s their frame of discourse now, including the racist, sexist, and reactionary logic of FPI dogma."

"FPI’s support has been immense," said Mansur Amin, secretary of the Luar Batang mosque and a longtime resident. "When people were threatened with eviction, for a month, three times a day, FPI provided them with food, milk, volunteers, and other provisions. This adds up to more than 100 million rupiahs. FPI did this continuously, silently, and without exposing themselves to the media. It was done sincerely and full of goodwill." Although Amin could not attend Friday's rally for medical reasons, he enthusiastically went on November 4, and said hundreds of his friends in the neighborhood went again today.

No one in Luar Batang has been evicted yet; the effort has been stalled due to complications in the low-cost apartments where residents are to resettle; but, if and when the time comes, they are ready to fight. And they have a powerful mouthpiece in FPI.


An ambitious lawsuit

“The demo today was great: peaceful, timely, and orderly,” said Dharma Dhiani, a Pasar Ikan resident and neighborhood activist. “We simply demanded that the blasphemer and law-breaker is treated according to the existing laws;” but, she, and her neighborhood, aren’t pinning their hopes for their homes just on protests or regime change. The rally was sort of a cathartic break amidst a seven-month-long class action lawsuit levied by the entire neighborhood of Pasar Ikan on the city of Jakarta for wrongful eviction.

“We’re hoping that the court finds that the provincial government is wrong, and we’re also seeking [monetary] liabilities on forced evictions cases in Pasar Ikan,” said Matthew Lengu, a lawyer with the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute who is overseeing the case. There are 320 residents named in the lawsuit and Dhiani is a lead plaintiff. More than 100 residents showed up at a hearing at the Jakarta state court on November 24, waiting over four hours, but the judge heard them for just a few minutes before pointing out paperwork issues and suggesting that they return in two weeks. This type of stalling is a classic technique of Jakarta courts, said Ian Wilson.

Although the defendants’ chance of absolute success is “close to zero,” according to Wilson, they may yet win some useful concessions like getting the government to rebuild destroyed houses.

Dhiani, who has four school-age children, is still defiantly squatting in her one-room house, just steps from Jakarta’s famous Sunda Kelapa harbor. Its tin roof is full of holes and whenever it rains, which is every day, the house slightly floods. She’s lived there for 21 years.


Overlooked lower class

“We don’t care about Ahok’s religion or ethnicity; it’s his policies that are ruining our lives,” said Dhiani. “We are not racist. In fact, one of the lawyers on our case is Chinese!”

The same refrain was heard all through Luar Batang and Pasar Ikan, which are separated by a narrow strait of water. They’ve lived here for 30, 40 years, they said. And the new apartments, where about one-third of Pasar Ikan residents have resettled, are by many accounts sub par, with dirty water and cramped quarters.

These people’s alignment with FPI is understandable, although not inevitable. What transpired is analogous to what has happened with similar working-class concerns across the globe. The majority party serves, or is perceived to serve, middle-class and global interests, and radical parties or politicians give voice to the marginalized poor. In Indonesia’s case, two sentiments that many believe have been sidelined under the current administration, fundamentalist Islam and poor people’s land rights, amplified each other's concerns.

The best case scenario of the lawsuit and for these neighborhoods at large depends on who wins the gubernatorial election in February. “Two months ago, I felt Ahok had it on lock, but it’s conceivable that he could lose next year,” said Wilson. It wouldn’t be the only surprising election result this year.

There are no easy solutions. Ahok remains quite popular, these coastal neighborhoods will eventually become unlivable due to climate change, and it’s true that Jakarta’s tourist infrastructure needs extensive development; but, for these residents today, it’s better to protest robustly than submit to a poorly thought-out eviction regimen.

“I mean, look around this place,” said Dhiani, after we walked through the flimsy houses, tents, ad hoc mosque, and piles of rubble that make up Pasar Ikan. “Doesn’t it make you sad? It makes me very sad.

Evicted Jakarta Residents Join Hardline Rally Against Governor

All just a repressed buncha-fwks letting off steam before they break loose and make blood sacrifices to their god to atone for someone's blasphemy.

" Far-right Islamic parties were the driving force behind a massive religious demonstration Friday against Jakarta's governor, "

No tbey were not. The driving force is businessmen and politicians looking to make a gain. FPI are the tool.

Thousands Rally in Indonesia for Tolerance After Blasphemy Protests



JAKARTA, INDONESIA —
Tens of thousands of Indonesians rallied Sunday in the center of the capital Jakarta, calling for tolerance and unity after massive protests by conservative Muslims against the city’s minority Christian governor.

The crowds filled a major traffic circle in the heart of the city and sprawled into its main thoroughfares.

The demonstrators waved “We Are Indonesia” signs and a giant red-and-white national flag was held aloft by hundreds of people.


Rallies rock capital

The capital of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has been rocked in the past month by two major protests against Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who is being prosecuted for alleged blasphemy. Hardline Muslim groups are demanding his immediate arrest. Police say his detention is not necessary and have called for the respect of the legal process.

A demonstration against Ahok on Friday drew at least 200,000 people. An anti-Ahok protest on November 4 attracted at least 100,000 people and turned violent, with one dead and dozens of protesters and police injured.

Sunday’s rally coincided with a weekly car-free morning in Jakarta when a central artery of the city is handed over to pedestrians for a few hours.


Leaders call for unity

National leaders of political parties under the pro-government coalition behind President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, an ally of Ahok, delivered short speeches on the importance of keeping the ethnically diverse nation united.

“We have to fight to materialize the aims of our independence. That will not happen if we are scattered, blaspheming, humiliating each other and no longer trust each other,” Surya Paloh, chairman of the National Democratic Party, said from the main stage.

“Our main enemies are stupidity and poverty. Therefore we ask the current government to work harder and always consistently with the people’s aspirations,” Paloh said.

Blasphemy is a criminal offense in Indonesia and punishable by up to five years in prison.

Thousands Rally in Indonesia for Tolerance After Blasphemy Protests

That explains the difficult traffic i encountered on my way to brunch.

It seems many Muslims delight in being outraged. We see these Islamic protests everywhere form England to Pakistan.
Sadly we will never be able to live in peace alongside these people.

Peaceful co-existence is not their prime objective, as their dysfunctionalism shows.