INDONESIA: Religious persecution escalates on minority Islamic group, Ahmadiyah in Tasikmalaya, West Java

Dear Friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the continued attacks and threats to the minority Islamic sect Ahmadiyah in Tasikmalaya, West Java, from 19-26 June 2007. An Ahmadiyah mosque was attacked by mobs from three other Islamic sects, and there are continuous threats from the mobs to ban the religion. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the government has done little to investigate or prosecute the perpetrators, or protect the freedom of religion of the believers.

CASE DETAILS:

According to the information received, members of the Ahmadiyah community in Tasikmalaya have experienced several attacks and harassment by people allegedly connected to the Islamic Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam of FPI), Taliban, and GERAK (an anti-communist movement) from 19 June to 26 June 2007.

At around 2:00pm on 19 June, a mass of people from FPI, Taliban and GERAK approached the Mahmud Mosque in the district of Cipasung in Tasikmalaya. The mob was shouting in front of the mosque demanding the termination of Ahmadiyah and its activities. They tore down and tried to destroy a board with the name of the mosque. They forcefully trampled on the board, even though it contained the holy scriptures, “Laa Ilaaha Illallah Muhammadar Rasulullah” (There is none worthy of worship, but Allah, Muhammad is His Messenger) inscribed on it. It has been noted that at the time of the incident, the Cipasung community was mourning the death of Mrs. KH. Ilyas Ruhiyat and the solemn meeting was disrupted by the attack. The police quickly responded to the assault and placed a line of officers in front of the mosque to prevent the mob from entering. However, the police did nothing to investigate the attack or to identify the perpetrators.

On the following day, 20 June, after a discussion with religious figures in the community and local activist youth groups, the activists went to the Regional People’s Legislative Assemblies (DPRD) to talk about the ongoing threats. On 24 June, Ms. Hj. Neng Madina, a representative of the DPRD Tasikmalaya invited Ahmadiyah to have a meeting with several other representatives of the region. At the meeting, Mr. H. Dede Saiful Anwar, who is the head of the Commission IV for DPRD Tasikmalaya informed everyone that there would be a big demonstration on 25 June demanding the end of Ahmadiyah. The demonstration eventually did not take place, but the Ahmadiyah members were apprehensive.

On 26 June, some 250 people consisting of members of FPI, Taliban and GERAK approached the office of DPRD to demand that Ahmadiyah be banned. An argument broke out between several of the DPRD representatives and the mob. The DPRD claims that it has no legal right to ban Ahmadiyah and such decision should come from the central government. The mob then started accusing the representatives of being bribed by Ahmadiyah. Before they left, the mob threatened the DPRD that within a week they will come back to protest unless the DPRD makes a decision to forbid the practice of Ahmadiyah in Tasikmalaya.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Ahmadiyah has existed since 1925 and it was officially recognized in 1953 by the Minister of Justice of Indonesia. However, Ahmadiyah is considered by the fundamentalists of Islam in Indonesia as propagating heretical teachings and betraying the true religion. The Indonesian Council of Muslim Scholars or Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI), the formal organization of the Islamic clergies in Indonesia which holds the power to issue a Fatwa (an Islamic decree), placed a Fatwa in 1980 banning Ahmadiyah.

The Indonesian central government refused to formally ban Ahmadiyah by stating that a Fatwa had no legal grounds in national law. However, the MUI issued another Fatwa in 29 July 2005 emphasizing the heresy of Ahmadiyah. This time, the decree triggered negative sentiments against Ahmadiyah, and religious extremist groups began to use the Fatwa to validate their attacks on members of Ahmadiyah. The attacks are widespread throughout the country, including West Lombok, Manislor, Tasikmalaya, Parung, Garut, Ciaruteun, Sadasari, and other regions as well. The assaults range from the destruction of places of worship and houses, prohibition of worship and other activities, harassment, threats, homicide and other acts of terror.

This attack is the latest in a series of attacks on the Ahmadiyah community in recent years.  The AHRC has reported past acts of religious persecution against this group in other parts of Indonesia (see further: UA-193-2005).

It is illegal for groups to use coercion and take the law into their own hands, and it is the responsibility of the police to protect basic religious freedoms. Despite the graveness of the continuous persecution on the Ahmadiyah community, up to now the Government of Indonesia has not taken any serious action to prevent or stop the violence. The Indonesian police have also failed to arrest individuals that have assaulted the Ahmadiyah community. Legal protection to the religious minorities should be guaranteed by the government in Indonesia.

Moreover, the MUI’s Fatwas are in violation of religious freedom as written in the Indonesian Constitution that states, “Every person shall be free to choose and to practice the religion of his/her choice” (28.1). This law also means that every person has the freedom to interpret their religion in accordance with his/ her conscience. The right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion are the fundamental rights that are written in the Universal Declaration of Human Right and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party, and has the responsibility to “ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind” (2.1). The ICCPR states that “No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice” (18.2). In regard to this international obligation, the Indonesian state has to take a pro-active action to punish individuals who threaten the religious freedoms of others.

Furthermore, the Indonesian Constitution and article 22 of the Human Rights Law No. 39/1999 mention the freedom of religion, but in reality the laws do not adequately provide protections to the religious minority groups.

With this in mind, the Indonesian government should ensure that the constitutional provisions will be respected and can be adjudicated in a court of law. If Indonesia aims to uphold religious freedom, then the authorities should protect all religious views in a fair and neutral manner without allowing anarchy to occur against religious minority groups.

SUGGESTED ACTION: 
Please write to the local authorities and the international community listed below and demand urgent intervention in this matter concerning the Ahmadiyah community in Tasikmalaya, West Java. Please urge the appropriate authorities to exhaust all means to ensure that a conclusive investigation is conducted to guarantee that first, the perpetrators are punished, and second, that minority religious sects are able to freely conduct their beliefs.

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