Fatima Astuti

In the last five years, a number of foreign observers have been focusing their study on the growing radicalization among some fringe militant groups in the South and South East Asian region. The radicalization resulted in at least two alarming developments. First, the region suffered from series of attacks that killed mainly civilians and second is the preaching of radical version of Islam by these groups.

Islam in Indonesia is taken as a peaceful and moderate religion, compatible with modernity, democracy, human rights and other requirements of the modern world. However, since the incident of Bali Bombing 1, Indonesia is dubbed as a ‘hotbed of terrorism’. And, the Indonesia National Police’s investigation also supports this belief as the investigators indicated that some of perpetrators of the terrorist attacks in Indonesia are members of certain Islamic radical groups. Yet, they have regional links with other international terrorist groups active in Malaysia , Indonesia , Singapore and Philippines .

The Roots of Radicalism and Terrorism in Indonesia

After the first Bali bombing in 2003 that killed more than 200 people, mostly foreigners, the existence of a controversial radical terrorist organization, Jemaah Islamiyah came to surface. The group is the biggest Islamic radical group that has been developing its terrorist network not only at regional level but also international level. There is a little doubt that the attacks have rapidly radicalized certain individuals and groups among Muslim including some prominent Muslim leaders in Indonesia . The converting radicals accuse Indonesia government of having slavishly surrendered to the pressures and wishes of USA in particular.

Radical Islamic movement has been evolving in Indonesia since late 18th century. At that time, the Wahabi-like Padri movement in West Sumatra held sway to force other Muslims in the area to subscribe to their literal understanding of Islam. The violent movement aimed at spreading the pure and pristine Islam as practiced by the Prophet Mohammad and his companions (the salaf) . The root causes of radicalism among Muslim in Indonesia were complex.

In the pre-colonial time, some of the Muslims believed that people were deviating from the real spirit and teachings of Islam, so, they decided to reform them not only through peaceful meaning but also by force and other radical means that they considered to be more effective. Later on, this renewal movement was called as ‘salfiyah’ .

The scale of Muslim radicalism in Southeast Asia in 19th century was a little bit different from Salfiah [salafist] movement. Motive of the South Asian radicals was liberation of Muslim lands from the occupation of the hostile infidels, came from other lands. In Indonesia ’s context, it was started by Soekarmadji Maridjan Kartosuwirjo in 1948. He and his adherents gathered under the name of Darul Islam (Home of Islam) with goal to establish Negara Islamic Indonesia (NII, or Indonesia Islamic State. They rejected the national ideology of Soekarno, first President of Indonesia. The 1945 Constitution gives national ideology of “Pancasila” (the five principles of the Independent Indonesian State ). Even though, this rebellion movement was smashed down by Indonesian military in 1965 but later, the military recruited the surrendered members of the DI to attack suspected communists in West Java , Aceh and Sumatra in 1965-1966 and also gave them weapons. The DI leaders also extend tactical cooperation to the army to eradicate PKI and avoid further arrests of its members.

After a successful coup against the Soekarno’s government, Major General Soeharto came up as the next leader and he denied Muslims even a single seat in power. He used political repression and ideological surveillance as the major tools to construct and maintain his New Order’s regime. Under the internal security activities, his regime did some suppression i.e. the ideological screening of party candidates and government employees, elimination of communist remnants, and suppression of campus and labor activities. In urban areas, military targeted press, students, intellectuals, Islamic groups, and labor and legal activists, who were often labeled as anti-Pancasila. This act made some radical individuals and groups lay very low but obtain great sympathy from other Muslims. In early 80’s, at least there were five radical group i.e. Islam jamaah in Kediri (then changed into LEMKARI), Isa Bugis in Sukabumi (which then moved to lampung), Jama’ah Islam Qur’ani in Jakarta (sometimes called Inkar Sunnah), Salman Mosque Movement-ITB Bandung (allegedly as DI-linked group), and Jogjakarta Islamic Group Movement. These groups were called Tarbiyah which mainly operated in secular colleges. Though, they were carrying religious agenda, some of the Tarbiyah groups had also political interests. After the fall of the New Order, these groups competed in political fields. Some of them founded political parties, Partai Keadilan (which then was changed to Partai Keadilan Sejahtera or PKS).

The political situations favored the radical groups in Indonesia . After the collapse of the New Order regime, some of the radical groups asserted openly to people who were also disappointed of the New Order regime which was repressive and dictatorial and could not understand Muslim’s aspiration. But the post-New Order government could not do better either. The post-New Order government also failed to make progress and significant development and was rejected by people after it tried to forcibly establish Islamic state by using Islamic Law.

As mentioned by Tindyo Prasetyo (Hizbut Thahir Indonesia-Solo) “…Democracy…is a concept that teaches people’s participation in power… Democracy has two elements which are power and sovereignty. Power is about who will lead the country. Sovereignty is about what law will be used, who is the highest authority to set the law. In democracy, power and sovereignty are on people hands. In the tyranny, power and sovereignty are in tyrant’s hand. In Islam, power is on he followers’ hand and sovereignty is on the Syariah’s .“

Dzulqarnain (MMI Surabaya) expressed the similar thing. “Democracy is a God-rejecting system that renegades and even stops Islamic values… We are set by democracy, the western people, and the Jewish so that Muslims cannot thoroughly implement comprehensive Islamic principles.” Vigorously, Afif Abdul Madjid (MMI Solo) said, “Democracy cannot guarantee the absence of torturing, like what the US does. Power in people’s is torturing.”

Al Chaidar, General Chairman of Darul Islam magazine, said “We would like to offer alternatives way as the solution of political deadlock. We offer Islamic state as the only solution for Indonesian people. If not, will continuously experience the crises and prolonged political problems making people unprotected”…”When we see Indonesia politically, the country is severely sick. A root therapy is highly needed. So, Darul Islam’s answers are focusing answers and try to give complete understanding.”

Some groups even took the worse way by carrying out terrorism in Indonesia to achieve their goal. We can mention one of them, Jemaah Islamiyah, a secret organization, formed by Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Ba’asyir since 1993. Jemaah Islamiyah with their local, regional even international network was trying to establish caliphate within South East Asia . Some of the actors of attacks have been captured but the group allegedly still works undergrounds. By using conflict areas (Poso and Ambon , Eastern part of Indonesia ) in Indonesia as training ground of their member, Jemaah Islamiyah allegedly still prepares attacks in the future.

The features of Islamic Law within Islamic community in Indonesia

As mentioned above, it seems that some Indonesian people really want to establish Indonesia as Islamic state. There was a survey conducted by one organization in Indonesia , PPIM 7, UIN Jakarta. The survey reveals that the Muslim majority in Indonesia agreed that the best form government is the Islamic system, based on the Quran and Sunnah.

The other opinion was to support the groups, striving for enforcement of Islamic law such as FPI, Lashkar Jihad, Darul Islam.

As we can see that there is increasing desire for enforcement of Islamic Law in Indonesia . It is accumulation of the frustration on uncertainty of politic-economic situation in Indonesia . People think Islam will give a way out from the crisis.

The support to radical groups has been increasing in Indonesia due to arrest of some radical groups leaders in the region like Tamsil Linrung, Aziz Belfas and Agus Dwikarna in Philippines ). Their arrest could dissemination of their ideology at grass root level in Indonesia , rather their arrest made the radical groups work harder. After their arrest, the Indonesia Government also faced criticism for not protecting their overseas citizens. It has also been interpreted as an order of foreign countries especially the US . It makes a conspiracy theory that the terrorism was carried out to stop the Muslims from becoming radicals.

Secondly, the unsatisfied feeling about governance, development and unimproved socio-economic conditions in Indonesia has gripping the Indonesia communities. On other hands, Islam offers the better solutions to their problems which can attract greater support for establishment of a true Islamic state in Indonesia .

The future

The support to radical groups probably became larger but it does not reflect the all communities in Indonesia therefore Indonesia government may take the opportunity to gain support from communities. But it needs a lot of endeavor from the government side to improve their performance on the politico-economic and socio-economic fronts in Indonesia. And, if the government fails to achieve targets, the radical groups may get stronger day by day by winning supports with the communities which are impartial at the moment.