INDONESIA: Continued attacks and intimidation on minority Islamic religious sect, Ahmadiyyah 

INDONESIA: Freedom of religion, religious discrimination, physical attack, threats and intimidation, religious intolerance, government and police inaction
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the attack and intimidation on the minority Islamic religious sect, Ahmadiyyah members by other villagers in Ketapang Village, West Lombok, Lombok Island, Indonesia, on 19 October 2005. According to the information we have received, the number of attackers was believed to be between 50 and 100. At least three houses of Ahmadiyyah people were damaged and a person was injured. Ahmadiyyah members were further threatened to leave the village before the holly day Eid Mubarrak on November 3.

This is the latest in a series of attacks on the Ahmadiyyah community this year. During the attacks, Ahmadiyyah mosques, schools and properties have been damaged and destroyed. Those attacks were worsened after ‘Fathwa’ (an Islamic decree issued by a mufti or a religious lawyer on a specific issue)’, which banned the sect Jammah Ahmadiyyah Indonesia in 1984, was again reaffirmed by the Majelis Ulama Indonesia, the formal organization of Islamic Clergy in Indonesia comprising of many of the Islamic organizations in Indonesia, on 29 July 2005.

Despite the seriousness of this matter, the Indonesian police and other governmental authorities have not taken any serious action to prevent or stop the violence. In addition, up to now, none of the perpetrators have been punished by law.

We call for your urgent intervention in this matter. Please write an appeal letter to the Indonesian authorities requesting them to investigate these incidents thoroughly and impartially and bring responsible persons to justice. Please also urge them to take all possible measures to prevent violence against the Ahmadiyyah community in the future and to protect its citizens’ freedom of religion, especially those who are amongst the religious minority.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Victims: over 25 Ahmadiyyah families living in Ketapang village
Alleged perpetrators: 50-100 villagers of Ketapang village
Date of incident: 19 October 2005
Place of incident: Ketapang village, West Lombok, Lombok Island, Indonesia

On 19 October 2005, there was an attack on over 25 Ahmadiyyah families who are a minority Islamic religious sect, by 50-100 other villagers in Ketapang village, West Lombok, Lombok Island, Indonesia. At least three Ahmadiyyah members’ houses were damaged and one man, Mr. Sofyan was injured during the attack. On October 21, the Ketapang villagers further threatened Ahmadiyyah families to leave the village before the holly day Eid Mubarrak on November 3.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Prior to these two incidents, there were a series of attacks on the Ahmadiyyah community in other regions. During September 18-20, Ahmadiyyah members were threatened and intimidated in five separate places throughout Cianjur Region, West Java, Indonesia. For example, one Ahmadiyyah mosque was attacked and damaged in Leuwimanggu Village on September 18.

The following are attacks which took place on 20 September 2005 alone.

1. In Cicakra, an Amadiyyah mosque was attacked and damaged and 23 Ahmadiyyahmembers’ houses were attacked and plundered by approximately 400 people. Among 23 houses, 11 houses were badly damaged and one car was set on fire.
2. In Panyairan village, one Amadiyyah mosque was damaged, 31 Amadiyyah members’ houses were attacked and plundered, two houses were burnt and one motorcycle was set on fire by about 300 attackers.
3. In Neglasari, an Amadiyyah mosque, one house and one school were damaged, 21 Amadiyyah members’ houses were attacked, and two shops of Ahmadiyyah members were plundered. The attackers numbered approximately 400.
4. In Ciparay, an Ahmadiyyah mosque was attacked and damaged, one mission house was attacked, one Amadiyyah school was damaged, 13 Amadiyyah members’ houses were attacked, and one car and one unit motorcycle were burnt. The number of attackers was approximately 300.

Below are further attacks on the Ahmadiyyah community that were carried out during 2005.

1. On August 6, a house and an Ahmadiyyah mosque were attacked and damaged in Cijati village, Cianjur region, West Java, Indonesia.
2. On June 28, an Ahmadiyyah mosque and an Ahmadiyyah member’s house were attacked in Cenae village, Wajo, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
3. On July 27, an Ahmadiyyah mosque was attacked in Ciaruteun, Bogor district, West Java, Indonesia.
4. On July 9 and 15, one of the biggest attacks took place in Parung, Bogor district, West Java, Indonesia when thousands of people attacked an Ahmadiyyah campus.
5. On February 18, there was an attack on the Ahmadiyyah community living in Sintang West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Despite the series of serious attacks on several Ahmadiyyah communities, the AHRC has not received any information that the police have taken genuine action to investigate the incidents and arrest those responsible.

Freedom of religion is one of the most fundamental rights and the Government of Indonesia has to comply with its international responsibility to respect and protect this right as a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Under these circumstances, the AHRC strongly urges the Government of Indonesia to intervene into this matter immediately. The Government must investigate these incidents thoroughly and impartially and bring responsible persons to justice. The Government should also take all possible measures to prevent such attack and intimidation on the Ahmadiyyah community in future.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Jamaah Ahmadiyyah Indonesia is a minority religious sect in Indonesia and its members have been constantly subjected to serious discrimination in Indonesia.

In 1984, a ‘Fathwa (an Islamic decree issued by a mufti or a religious lawyer on a specific issue)’, which banned the sect Jammah Ahmadiyyah Indonesia, was issued by the Majelis Ulama Indonesia, which is the formal organisation of the Islamic Clergy in Indonesia comprising of many Islamic organisations. As the “representative of Islamic clergies”, the Majelis Ulama Indonesia has the power to issue a Fathwa. The same Fathwa was again reaffirmed on 29 July 2005 and Ahmadiyyah was declared heretical.

Triggered by the Fatwa on July 29, a group of religious extremists attacked the property and members of the Ahmadiyyah community in several places in Indonesia. As described above, the attacks are not confined to a single area but are widespread in the county. Despite the graveness of the continuous attack on the Ahmadiyyah community, neither the Government of Indonesia nor the Indonesian police have taken any serious action to prevent or stop this violence. The Indonesian police are trying to ignore the seriousness of this matter by treating these incidents as isolated cases rather than the premeditated, systematic and nation-wide phenomenon that it is. Up to now, there is no information as to whether the Indonesian authorities have taken any legal action against the attackers of those incidents.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the persons listed below and express your concern about the situation of the Ahmadiyyah religious minorities in Indonesia.

 

 

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