Islamic State expansion in Indonesia
Kritika Karmakar analyses the reasons for increase in Islamic state sympathisers in Indonesia, and why few major religious organisations are subscribing to the concept of Islamic caliphate. Islamic State sympathisers have been on the rise, ever since the organisation lost its foothold in Iraq and Syria. Organisations such as Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) in Indonesia, have considerably increased their activities and are adopting more brutal tactics to make their voices heard. On 10th October, 2019, Indonesia’s Chief Security Minister, Wiranto was stabbed by a married couple while exiting his vehicle. According to State Intelligence Agency chief, Budi Gunawan, the couple were members of the extremist group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD)[i]. This was the first time when a person of political importance was assaulted by radicals. This single act alone, speaks volumes about the increasing influence of the Islamic state on the island nation.
Situated in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, Indonesia lies at the heart of major maritime thoroughfare. Its prime location along with its current political scenario has attracted the attention of many transnational organisations that are capable of causing potential damage to the social fabric of the nation. As of late Indonesia has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities that are reportedly linked to the affiliates of the Islamic state. On May 13, 2018, three churches were simultaneously attacked in Surabaya (East Java). All the attacks were carried out by a single family. The most concerning part about this incident was that the attackers made use of children as young as 9[i]. The following day, on May 14, 2018, another attack was carried out in a similar fashion, where a family of five blew themselves up in front of the Surabaya police station. Both these families were said to have been linked to a pro-Islamic state group, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). The group too claimed responsibility for these attacks through Amaq News Agency, a media source sanctioned by the Islamic State[ii]. These attacks are a clear indication of how families are being mobilised as agents of terror.
Shifting ideologies
For years Indonesia, which is a predominantly Muslim majority country, has been a living proof of how Islam and democracy can co-exist together. However, in light of the recent political changes, this notion seems to fade away. The elections held in 2019, depict an alarming divide between the Muslim and non-Muslim voters. With one group supporting the incumbent President Joko Widodo (popularly known as “Jokowiâ€) while the other backs former Military General Prabowo Subianto[1]. With Joko Widodo winning his second term, analysts have observed a shift in voting patterns among the population. Jokowi who won the elections with 55.5%[2] majority vote, is largely supported by moderate Muslims living in Central and Eastern Java (most populous part of the country ) and non- Muslims. Whereas his opponent Prabowo Subianto is backed by conservative Muslims living on the Western coast of Java[3].
The rise of Prabowo Subianto is greatly feared among the minorities and moderate Muslims, as he had played a key role during the 1998 riots[4]. Ever since his early years in politics, he has been associated with human rights violations and atrocities carried out against the Chinese-Indonesians and other such marginalised communities. Prabowo’s lust for power was evident during the elections held in 2019, where he left no stone unturned to oust his contender, Jokowi. This included threats made by his supporters to hold rallies outside the election commission in Jakarta, claiming that the elections were rigged. Hordes of people came out on the streets on 21st May, 2019, in opposition to the election results. What initially appeared to be a peaceful protest soon took a gruesome turn, causing the death of eight people. At first demonstrators cooperated with the police forces, however, at the time of dispersal nefarious entities that had infiltrated the crowd began pelting stones and Molotov cocktails at the officials. This violent move soon sparked a series of barbarities that lasted till the morning of 23rd May[5]. Clashes between the protesters and police officials continued, in the course of which many were injured. Out of 442 protesters who were detained by the security forces, 2 were members of Islamic Reform Movement (Garis), a radical group that has pledged its loyalty to the Islamic State and is responsible for recruiting Indonesians and sending them to Syria[6]. The police arrested about 30 people allegedly connected with Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD)8.
These recent instances of violence mired with the political attention and involvement of Prabowo Subianto’s radical Islamic ideologies, makes one wonder about his associations with the supporters of Islamic State. In an interesting turn of events, Prabowo was spotted using the car of a man who is nicknamed as the ‘President of ISIS Indonesia’, Chep Hernawan[7] [8]. This was captured during one of his rallies in Cianjur, West Java. Chep Hernawan is responsible for the deportation of 156 Indonesian individuals to Syria as of 2014. He calls himself the regional leader of the Islamic State in Indonesia, however, claims to have resigned from the position for now. Hernawan is the founder of the Islamic Reform Movement (Garis), in Cianjur, West Java. This group is notorious for its extremist Jihadi ideologies and routinely carries out raids on local businesses in the area.
It is important to note that Prabowo Subianto is the current Defence Minister of Indonesia. Chep Hernawan’s controversial past and his open support for Prabowo, hints towards a more sinister change in the political arena of the nation. Radical Islamic ideologies with their strong affiliations for the Islamic State’s caliphate are making their way into the administrative structure of the country.
These associations among potential terrorists and political leaders do not stop at individuals such as Prabowo and Hernawan. Other figureheads who have an equal influence on the world of Jihad are preachers and religious speakers such as Zakir Naik. They use their cult of personality to expound on their manifesto of a caliphate and provide it with legitimacy. To a great extent they successfully manage to have an effect over the masses and sometimes even people of importance.
Zakir Naik is one such individual who has had an international impact through his preaching’s about Islam. He is currently being probed by the Indian government under charges of spreading hatred and propagating terrorism. However, the preacher seems to have gained considerable traction in Muslim majority nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia. In April of 2017, Naik’s speeches had repercussions on the election results of Indonesia, as his address to the crowd focused on igniting the spark of Muslim solidarity. Naik made statements such as, “A Muslim should not vote for non-Muslims even if he has done good work like building buildings (infrastructure). What good work has this Christian done?â€.[9] Such proclamations had a huge impact on the population and its effects were felt on the subsequent election results, where a non-Muslim candidate was imprisoned for blasphemy[10].
Zakir Naik has been on the radar of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) and has managed to evade charges of money laundering and hate speech crimes, by seeking shelter in predominantly Islamic countries such as Saudi and Malaysia. Of late, he enjoys the permanent residency of Malaysia and shares close ties with the current prime minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad. However, Naik’s provocative speeches have gotten him into trouble even there. The support that he had previously received from Prime Minister Mahathir, seems to be dwindling as he too has joined government officials and called out Zakir for passing racial comments[11]. His remarks were directed towards Indians and Chinese residing in Malaysia and led to a major controversy.
Individuals such as Zakir Naik, Chep Hernawan and Prabowo Subianto are the ones to pull the strings behind the curtains. By stirring communal sentiments, they have managed to inspire many Indonesians to leave their home country and fight for a Caliphate in Syria. As per reports 689 Indonesians (mostly women and children) were detained in Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey. However, Indonesia’s Ministry of Law and Human Rights estimates the numbers to be as high as 1,276[12]. Keeping in mind the 2018 attacks, the administration has become more cautious regarding its counter terrorism policies. It considers the returnees as a potential threat to national security and regards the safety of its remaining population as a major concern. Moreover, the integration of these returnees with the local Indonesian population could cause an increased wave of extremism among the masses, which could lead to adverse consequences.
According to Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, the government has stripped these individuals of their citizenship, rendering them stateless[13]. This move has raised many security concerns regarding the neighbouring countries.
Indonesian link to riots in Delhi
India and Indonesia, find their collective strength in being pluralist and democratic nations. Both the countries share healthy economic and maritime ties and have lobbied for each other at international forums. However, the rise of Islamic extremism and the clandestine workings of such institutions seem to have cast a shadow on the relationship of both the countries.
In light of the anti- CAA protests held in New Delhi, India, in February, 2020, an Indonesian NGO was accused of funding the riots. The Indonesian humanitarian organization, Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) was held accountable for trying to send Rs 25 lakh, in order to fund rioters during the clashes between the pro and anti CAA groups[14]. According to India TV (an Indian news agency), ACT is a highly radicalized Islamic organization and claims to have links with Hafiz Saeed[15]. . The organization has also reported to have been associated with Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), the so-called charity wing of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group[16]. It asserted that the NGO is involved with the riots in Bangladesh and has assisted Rohingya refugees in the country. Security agencies claim that cyberspace was used in order to gain sympathy and raise donations, and were concerned about the misuse of media in order to instigate fanatic ideologies. The money was supposed to provide aid to Muslims who had lost family members or faced property damages due to the riots. However, in a press conference held by ACT, the organisation denied any such accusations and reiterated that it provided the victims of Delhi riots with food, housing and health facilities[17].
In response to the controversial CAA bill, violent protests were held outside the Indian embassy in Jakarta on 2nd, 3rd and 13th March, 2020. Bottles and stones were hurled inside the premises of the embassy, risking the lives of the mission staff. This vandalism made the embassy seek security aid from the Indonesian government, who have currently deployed 1,100 personnel around the establishment. Interestingly, the protesters held up ISIS flags along with anti-India banners. The Islamic organisations that held these protests, two of them, 212 Alumni and FPI, are deemed illegal even by the Indonesian authorities[18]. Such a demonstration has risked the security of both India and Indonesia.
Both nations are diplomatically trying to deal with the issue. However, the activities of the Islamic State appear to be testing the strength of their relationship. In spite of the assurances of the Indonesian government to provide additional security to the Indian embassy, the fault lines on the basis of religion still show through.
Conclusion
After the Islamic State lost its foothold in Iraq and Syria, it has been making an effort to activate its sleeper cells across the globe. A predominantly Muslim majority nation serves as the best breeding ground for inciting extremist ideologies. By slowly creeping into the administrative structure of Indonesia, the Islamic State might manifest their plans into reality. With the rise of conservative and hard lined politicians like Prabowo Subianto, the political sway of the nation appears to be shifting. The transnational terrorist organisation seems to be working on two levels, administration and local. At an administrative position they support conservative politicians who wish to propagate the teachings of Islam. From a community perspective, they intend to mobilise and radicalize families through provocative teachings and by brainwashing them into committing acts of violence against the state.
The issue of stateless returnees from Iraq and Syria sheds light on the potential radicalisation that has already seeped into the social fabric of the nation. If this process continues, the Islamic State might just establish a new Caliphate in Indonesia.
India and Indonesia's relations have experienced the effects of the actions of the Islamic State and its affiliates. Even though, their joint efforts at countering such motives can bring both the nations closer, the shifting political leanings of Indonesia might cause a hindrance in the process. It is essential to keep in mind that these organisations feed on political instability and play with religious sentiments in order to achieve their goals. Hence it is significant for both the nations to fight such differences and collectively join forces in order to fight the menace of terrorism.
References
[1] Arifianto, A., 2020. Is Islam An Increasingly Polarizing Political Cleavage In Indonesia?. [online] Brookings. Available at: <https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2019/04/25/is-islam-an-increasingly-polarizing-political-cleavage-in-indonesia/>
[2] Walton, K., 2020. Jokowi Declared Indonesia President; Prabowo Readies Challenge. [online] Aljazeera.com. Available at: <https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/jokowi-declared-indonesia-president-prabowo-readies-challenge-190521053354338.html>
[4] LILJAS, P., 2020. Here's Why Some Indonesians Are Spooked By This Presidential Contender. [online] Time. Available at: <https://time.com/2836510/prabowo-subianto-human-rights-indonesia-elections/>
[5] The Straits Times. 2020. Who Was Behind The Jakarta Riots?. [online] Available at: <https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/who-was-behind-the-jakarta-riots>
[6] Barahamin, A. and Chew, A., 2020. Indonesia Riots: Seven Dead, Two IS-Linked Suspects Arrested In Jakarta. [online] South China Morning Post. Available at: <https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3011477/indonesia-riots-police-arrest-mystery-woman-and-ramp>
[7] Translate.google.com. 2020. Google Translate. [online] Available at: <https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=id&u=https://tirto.id/sejarah-hidup-chep-hernawan-eks-donatur-isis-yang-dukung-prabowo-dju4&prev=search>
[8] Coconuts. 2020. Prabowo Used Car Of Man Who Once Declared Himself The ‘President Of ISIS Indonesia’ At Campaign Event In W. Java | Coconuts Jakarta. [online] Available at: <https://coconuts.co/jakarta/news/prabowo-used-car-man-declared-president-isis-indonesia-campaign-event-w-java/>
[9] Free Malaysia Today. 2020. Zakir Naik’S Remarks In Indonesia About Non-Muslims Trigger Alarm. [online] Available at: <https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/04/04/zakir-naiks-remarks-in-indonesia-about-non-muslims-triggers-alarm/>
[10] Borpujari, P., 2020. Zakir Naik’S Growing Clout In Indonesia. [online] The Hindu. Available at: <https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/zakir-naiks-growing-clout-in-indonesia/article18590851.ece>
[11] Jaipragas, B., 2020. Mahathir Joins Chorus Of Criticism Against Preacher’S Race Rhetoric. [online] South China Morning Post. Available at: <https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3023427/malaysias-mahathir-toughens-stance-against-controversial-indian>
[12] Hussein, R. and Intan, G., 2020. Hundreds Of Indonesian Former IS Members, Families Could Become Stateless. [online] Voice of America. Available at: <https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/hundreds-indonesian-former-members-families-could-become-stateless>
[13] Araf, A. and Aliabbas, A., 2020. Wrong To Make Indonesian Islamic State Fighters Stateless. [online] The Jakarta Post. Available at: <https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/02/24/wrong-to-make-indonesian-islamic-state-fighters-stateless.html>
[14] Pangestika, D., 2020. Indonesian Humanitarian NGO Denies Allegation Of Funding New Delhi Riots. [online] The Jakarta Post. Available at: <https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/03/15/indonesian-humanitarian-ngo-denies-allegation-of-funding-new-delhi-riots.html>
[15] Indiatvnews.com. 2020. Indonesia-Based NGO Linked To Hafiz Saeed Funded Delhi Riots: Report. [online] Available at: <https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/breaking-indonesia-based-ngo-funded-delhi-riots-hafiz-saeed-link-report-597438>
[16] Gupta, S., 2020. Security Agencies Flag Indonesia Link To Delhi Riots. [online] Hindustan Times. Available at: <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/security-agencies-flag-indonesia-link-to-delhi-riots/story-ysdToRBSLbjWqp2a0d6u6L.html>
[17] Pandey, S., 2020. India- Were Delhi's Communal Riots Funded By Indonesian NGO?. [online] Menafn.com. Available at: <https://menafn.com/1099852748/India-Were-Delhis-communal-riots-funded-by-Indonesian-NGO>
[18] Mohan, G., 2020. India Raises Concerns With Indonesia Over Protests Outside Embassy In Jakarta, Medan Consulate. [online] India Today. Available at: <https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/india-raises-concerns-with-indonesian-envoy-over-protests-outside-embassy-in-jakarta-medan-consulate-1656251-2020-03-17>
(The author is Research Intern with Centre for Security and Strategy Studies, at www.cescube.com. The views expressed are personal)