[Kabar-indonesia] Political Thuggery [5 JP Reports]: Major Muslim Groups Spearhead Moderation

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

5 JP reports: 

- From political thuggery to ethnic gang wars 

- New police chief vows control over militant 
  groups 

- Major Muslim groups spearhead moderate 
  campaign 

- Op-Ed: The secularization of Islamic law 

- 'Interfaith dialog aims to foster global peace' 

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, June 22, 2006

>From political thuggery to ethnic gang wars 

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, 
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Newly installed Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Firman was right when 
he pledged that combating thuggery would be a priority during his tenure.

But there are question marks on whether he will have the courage to succeed 
where his predecessors did not. 

Criminal undercurrents are a persistent hazard in any metropolitan. They 
breed insecurity, lawlessness and a high-cost economy through rampant illegal 
levies. 

But two groups -- that shall be arrantly nameless in this article -- in 
particular embody the unified loathing of decent Jakartans. 

Unlike other delinquent elements which operate in Jakarta's underworld, these 
two groups sought to ascend and even legitimize their hooliganism using 
ethnic or religious platforms. 

Despite their small numbers, they cannot be dismissed as marauding thugs. The 
freedom of voraciousness accorded to them has hijacked national headlines and 
been falsely gauged as predicators of Indonesia's radicalism. 

Their desire to go 'legit' is only natural, since the seeds of their past 
were political. Both groups were formed as an outgrowth of the New Order's 
culture of using paramilitary groups as vehicles for political coercion. Hence the 
suspicion of past connections to the military and police. 

The first group was set up as part of the political maneuvering to counter 
student demonstrations ahead of the 1999 Special Session of the People's 
Consultative Assembly and adopted an extremely conservative religious ideological 
platform. 

As a current Cabinet minister privately revealed when he spoke about the 
group: "I can say with confidence, although I cannot provide legal evidence, that 
the commander of the (Jakarta) police force at that time had links (with this 
group)". 

As the group developed, it exploited narrow-minded religiosity to justify 
sweepings and to ransack bars and nightclubs during Ramadhan. 

There have been allegations that this was simply a camouflage to extort money 
from gambling and prostitution businesses. 

When issues of sharia became vogue a few years later they were well placed in 
the front lines of the sectarian push, being able to mobilize the masses of 
urban poor who had joined their ranks. 

The second group paints itself as the footmen for Jakarta's disenfranchised 
indigenous population. However it is not itself a member of the Betawi 
Consultative Body -- an umbrella organization of ethnic Betawi organizations. 

Despite its ethnic platform, it began as an anti-Megawati Soekarnoputri 
movement. Its chairman was a member of the non-Megawati splinter faction of the now 
defunct Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). 

The group's birth coincided with a commemoration by Megawati's supporters of 
the fifth anniversary of the bloody attack on PDI headquarters. By 
coincidence, the Jakarta military commander at the time of the attack was none other than 
Sutiyoso. 

Based in East Jakarta, the group quickly attracted the urban poor by means of 
providing them jobs and capital in the informal economy. 

It is worth noting that the group was established on the heels of a campaign 
by the local administration to fight street gangs by "reintegrating" them into 
society with jobs such as local guards. 

What effectively occurred was an opportunity to be seized to "cooperate" with 
the local administration who allocated billions of rupiah for this program. 

Where the new Jakarta Police chief's political allegiance lies with respect 
to these groups is unknown. 

But Adang cannot afford to emulate the lethargy of his predecessors. These 
two groups have become a malignant cancer that will be detrimental to Jakarta's 
stability and his own career. 

Unlike New Order paramilitaries, both groups act independently without a 
major financial backer or political patron. 

They are pendulous entities whose allegiances are indiscriminate according to 
the necessities of survival. 

Both groups fend for themselves to sustain the economic needs of their 
expanding ranks. 

Without political money flowing in, these groups survive on various small 
ventures and levies they are able to collect. 

Nevertheless these sectors are unsustainable. They will need to "expand and 
diversify" into more lucrative avocations -- both formal and illegal. This will 
eventually lead to the encroachment on "activities" traditionally monopolized 
by underworld mobs. 

Debt collecting, for example, is one lucrative field in which these two 
groups still have a limited foothold but must begin to consider if they are to 
augment their coffers. 

Hence the prospect of socio-religious gang wars on the horizon if nothing is 
done. Shades of the 1998 Ketapang riot in West Jakarta come to mind. 

-----------------------------------

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, June 22, 2006

New police chief vows control over militant groups 

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

New city police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Firman said Wednesday controlling 
militants and radical organizations was on his list of priorities, though he 
offered no firm details on how this would be achieved.

"We'll take strict action against groups that violate the law, as instructed 
by National Police chief Gen. Sutanto," Adang said after officially taking 
over the post from Insp. Gen. Firman Gani. 

However, he said his officers would not target the organizations themselves, 
but only those individuals who committed acts of violence. 

"We're not going to disband any group," he said. 

Adang called on the public to cooperate with police in dealing with thuggery 
and radicalism. 

The former head of the West Sumatra Police also promised to continue the 
policies of former chief Firman Gani. "I'll keep everything that is good and 
continue what still needs to be done." 

He said construction of a building for the antiterrorist Detachment 88, which 
was halted due to funding problems, would also be continued. 

The new chief promised to crack down on corruption and gambling in the city, 
along with thuggery. "This is our commitment," said the 56-year-old, who 
graduated from the Police Academy in 1973. 

Analysts have questioned whether Adang is the right man for the position, 
pointing out he is older than his predecessor. They also doubt his ability to 
take the tough measures necessary against radical groups. 

Indonesian Police Watch chairman Neta S. Pane told The Jakarta Post a strong 
police chief was needed to deal with the city's problems. 

"The Jakarta Police set the benchmark for the work of the National Police," 
he said. "The first thing the new police chief has to do is control militants 
and radical organizations." 

There has been growing public apprehension about the activities of religious 
and ethnic organizations using violence to promote their agendas. 

The Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) are 
among the organizations the public has urged the authorities to disband. 

Police have named FBR chairman Fadloli El-Muhir a defamation suspect for 
comments he made about women, including former first lady Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, 
protesting the proposed pornography bill. 

Meanwhile, in the early hours of Wednesday, FBR members clashed with local 
residents along Jl. Kramat Lontar in Central Jakarta. One resident was injured 
in the incident. 

The violence began when residents complained about a late-night live dangdut 
music show the FBR members had organized. When the FBR members refused to stop 
the noise a fight began. 

Adi Agus Prasetyo suffered a head injury in the brawl and was taken to 128 
Hospital in Central Jakarta. Police are investigating the incident. 

----------------------------------------

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, June 22, 2006

Major Muslim groups spearhead moderate campaign 

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Leaders of Nadhlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, the country's two largest Muslim 
organizations, say they are committed to campaigning for moderate Islam to 
counter the emergence of militant groups. 

They pledged Wednesday that they would not seek strict religious formalism in 
pluralist Indonesia -- meaning the upholding of the outward signs and 
practices of the religion -- nor tolerate the use of violence in the name of the 
religion. 

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said his organization sought 
"substantivism" instead of formalism because of the country's multiethnic, multireligious 
composition, as well as the commonly shared cause of fighting injustice and 
poverty. 

He stressed that radical groups did not represent Islam, and therefore 
terrorism should not be simplistically linked to the religion because of the their 
misuse of its name. 

"No religion, including Islam, tolerates any use of violence. The terrorists 
are those who are not patient and misunderstand the religion," he said after 
presenting his paper on religiosity at the second International Conference of 
Islamic Scholars. 

He blamed the actions of violent radical groups on law enforcers who were 
slow to act against their militancy. 

"The police should take action against mass organizations using violence in 
the name of religion because their violent acts are against the law." 

But Din also said the motivation of such groups must be identified. 

"As long as the law is not enforced and injustice is found in society, 
radicalism or terrorism will gain ground in the country." 

NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi expressed optimism that the two organizations would 
be able to counter radicalism and liberalism which emerged with the onset of 
the reform movement in 1998. 

"NU will continually campaign for the true Islam and its rich values among 
Muslims, so that they have an appropriate understanding about how to fight for 
Islamic values in the pluralist society." 

Hasyim, who said radical groups would eventually disband if law enforcers 
took a firm stand on their use of violence, acknowledged there were mistakes by 
some organizations in fighting for the implementation of sharia law. 

Din and Hasyim agreed the ongoing conference was an appropriate forum for 
Islamic scholars to promote moderate Islam and to hold interfaith dialog with 
representatives of other religions. 

"Participants from Islamic countries have been aware of the importance of 
promoting the moderate line of Islam to help build global peace, and fight 
against the injustice and poverty that affects the majority of Muslims," said 
Hasyim. 

He believed such interfaith dialog would help eliminate the hegemony of some 
countries in the world. 

"In February, for instance, the American Communion of Churches made an 
apology for their inability to prevent the United States government from launching 
its aggression in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said. 

--------------------------------------

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, June 22, 2006

'Interfaith dialog aims to foster global peace' 

Pope Benedict XVI has sent Mgr. Khaled Akasheh, head officer for Islam on the 
Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, to attend the 
two-day second International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS), which 
officially opened Tuesday in Jakarta. He shared his views on interfaith dialog with The 
Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat. 

Question: What does interfaith dialog mean to the Catholic Church? 

In the context of religious plurality, dialog means all positive and 
constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths 
which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment. 

It aims at encouraging mutual understanding between believers and reciprocal 
enrichment, the establishment of fraternal relations, in order to build 
together a common house in the world. 

How does the Catholic Church pursue interfaith dialog? Following the 1965 
Second Vatican Council which worked out Nostra Aetate (our present times) 
concerning relations with other religions, the Catholic Church has taken initiatives 
to look after relations of the Church with people of other religions to make 
the world a safe and peaceful place to live in. All religions have been called 
on to strengthen dialog to build a global peace. 

The Vatican has enhanced bilateral ties with other countries at the 
international level and enhanced cooperation with local religious institutions and 
organizations to share common problems and help settle them. 

How do you assess the current Pontiff's commitment to interfaith dialog? 

I am particularly pleased to inform you on the firm engagement of His 
Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in interreligious dialog in general and in dialog with 
Muslims in particular. The Pope has given an assurance the Church wants to 
continue to build bridges of friendship with followers of all religions. The Pope 
has expressed his joy to Muslims at seeing the progress made by dialog at 
regional and global levels. 

In dialog with Muslims, he referred to them as "dear friends" and "dear and 
esteemed Muslim friends." 

Besides, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog has special 
commissions for religious relations with Jews and Muslims, set up the 
Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee and held regular colloquia with Muslims in the Middle East 
to encourage them to come closer. 

Is the Pope planning to visit Muslim countries to strengthen interfaith 
dialog? 

I am not in the commission dealing with the Pope's foreign trips. But the 
Holy Father will surely do it if it is considered important and urgent, as his 
predecessor Pope John Paul II did many times in the past. The Pope is scheduled 
to pay a foreign trip to predominantly Muslim Turkey in September. 

How about dialog with Indonesia? 

Besides the enhancement of bilateral ties, the Vatican, especially the 
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog, has forged a dialog with Nahdlatul 
Ulama and Muhammadiyah, two streamlined Muslim organizations in the country. This 
conference is a good dialog to build a mutual understanding and respect 
between the two religions. 

For instance, the Catholic Church appreciated the two Muslim organizations 
which condemned the accidents (terrorist attacks) in Indonesia and overseas. 

What is your opinion of the hard-line groups in Indonesia? 

Fundamentalism is a negative phenomenon and has numerous reasons for 
emerging. It could surely emerge in reaction to injustice, social disparity, 
discrimination and so on. Of the most importance is it must be learned as to seek a 
peaceful and comprehensive settlement. 

What do you think of the so-called "Islamophobia" in this country? 

Not only Muslims, Christians have been also suffering from Christianophobia. 
Religious institutions and their leaders should take initiatives to hold 
dialogs, both internally and through interfaith fora, to prevent hard-line groups 
from emerging and to heal such phobia and sectarian conflicts in the society. 

---------------------------------------

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, June 22, 2006

Op-Ed

The secularization of Islamic law 

Arif Maftuhin, Jakarta

Most proponents of Islamic law believe that to implement it, it has to be 
codified into a state law, transforming the Islamic law from fiqh (legal 
literature written by Islamic scholars) into a state-law (either state laws or 
regional bylaws or Perda).

What they don't quite realize is that the very transformation changes the 
nature of Islamic law from a divine and religious law into a secular law. 
Contrary to what the proponents believe, what is happening in Aceh and other 
localities is not really the shariatization of state-law but is instead the 
secularization of Islamic law. Let me make it clear hear. 

Historically speaking, from the time of the Prophet to the end of the 
caliphate system, Islamic law was implemented in a decentralized way where every 
judge had his individual and independent authority to issue a judgment out of his 
personal legal reasoning (ijtihad). 

There is a bold principle in Islamic court of justice stipulating that a 
judge is not bound by any other judgment when he has a case to be dealt with. 
Furthermore, he is even not bound by his own previous judgments, tilka ma qadayna 
wa hazihi ma naqdi ("that was our previous judgment in this one is our new 
judgment"). 

To put it in a legal-speak way, it is "the judge who makes the law", not the 
legislative or executive branches. Islamic legal tradition and history are 
much closer to those of the Common Law tradition than to those of the Continental 
Law one. 

There had never been any codified laws in Islamic legal history until the 
last decades of the Ottoman Caliphate, as a result of its attempts to modernize 
its empire and of the Continental European influence. 

The first attempts were made as early as in the first century of Islam when a 
caliph of the Umayyad dynasty asked Imam Malik (the most senior Imam of the 
four prominent and authoritative imams that have ever existed) to let the 
caliph have his treaties of Islamic law (al-Muwatta) be the only book of Islamic 
law imposed on the caliphate. 

The caliph was inspired by his predecessor, Uthman bin Affan, who succeeded 
in unifying all Muslims around one Koranic text. The caliph felt it would be 
similarly beneficial to unite all Muslims under one Islamic book of law. 

However, the imam had sharp and decisive answer to the proposal. "I am only a 
man with limited knowledge of prophetic tradition. What I compiled in my book 
are simply some parts of other parts of Islamic law that I don't have any 
capability to cover. The students of the Prophet have left Medina and the 
knowledge of some Islamic law has gone with them. My book is far from being 
appropriate to be the standard one." 

Since then, Islamic law has lived an independent life outside of the state 
machinery. Every judge has free preference to issue his judgment and the state 
has no authority to intervene in them. 

Indonesia itself is a good example of this. Up to the 1990s, we actually had 
no a standardized Islamic law or a single codification implemented for all 
Muslims. 

Judges in Indonesian Islamic courts had the right to refer to their preferred 
book of Islamic law appropriate to a given case in a certain locality (what 
is appropriate to Minangkabauan Muslims might not be appropriate to the 
Javanese ones). 

Sad to say, with the ambition of the New Order to unite Indonesia, those 
plural practices were seen as a problem and a project of unification of Islamic 
law was carried out under the auspices of the Religious Affairs Ministry. In 
1991, a presidential instruction legalized the so called Kompilasi Hukum Islam as 
the single reference for Islamic judges. The once plural practices were 
unified under a national version of Islamic law, eliminating local interpretations. 

Now, epistemologically speaking, with the codification of Islamic law and its 
formalization into a positive law, undang-undang or perda, can we call it 
Islamic law? Surely, we can "name" it, but what is in a name? Undang-undang and 
perda, no matter what we call them, are state-made laws -- yes, state-made, not 
God-made. It is not a divine law anymore. On the contrary, it is secular law. 

In addition, according to Islamic legal literature, to issue an Islamic law, 
a person has to fulfill many academic pre-requisites. He has to be a pious 
Muslim, have mastered the Koran and its interpretation, understand prophetic 
tradition and its textual critique and is also required to have mastered Arabic 
and its literature. Are those members of parliaments or local legislatures 
eligible and qualified to issue any Islamic law? 

Therefore, if the proponents of Islamic law implementation continuously and 
relentlessly demand those Islamic-law-inspired bills be passed, they have to 
realize they have secularized the Islamic law anyway. 

When Islamic law is secularized, it is a matter of public issues, and has 
nothing to do with one's faith. If a Muslim joins the Movement of Bhinneka 
Tunggal Ika to reject the pornography bill, for example, please don't say he or she 
is not a good Muslim. Because she or he is rejecting mere secular law, not an 
Islamic law; and that has nothing to do with being a good or bad Muslim. 

The writer is a lecturer in Islamic legal thought and history at the State 
Islamic University of Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. He can be reached at 
arif_maftuh at yahoo.com. 

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------