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 The government is preparing a joint decree to outlaw "heretical"
Islamic sect Jamaah Ahmadiyah, following a recommendation by a
government board.
The recommendation was discussed Thursday at a meeting led by
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo
Adi Sucipto.
Widodo said the decree would be drafted by the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Home Ministry and the Attorney General's Office.
"The government will formulate the joint decree based on the 1965 law
on the prevention of misuse and disgrace of religion," Widodo said
after the meeting at his office.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji, Justice and Human Rights Minister
Andi Mattalata, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Djoko Santoso and
National Police chief Gen. Sutanto attended the meeting.
The Coordinating Board for Monitoring Mystical Beliefs in Society
(Bakor Pakem) recommended on Wednesday the government ban Ahmadiyah for
failing to commit to the 12-point declaration it signed in January.
The declaration acknowledged mainstream Islamic teachings and abandoned
the sect's "deviant" beliefs. This included recognizing Muhammad, not
Mirza Gulam Ahmad, as the last prophet.
Widodo ordered the police to tighten security to prevent potential violence and anarchism following the ban on Ahmadiyah.
"The decree should consider various aspects, especially stability, so
as to be alert to potential conflict stemming from various groups'
dissatisfaction," he said.
The recommendation has sparked debate among Islamic groups. Most have
come out in support of the ban even though Ahmadiyah is a nonviolent
sect.
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, the country's two largest Muslim
organizations, said the government has the authority to ban Ahmadiyah.
They said the government must ensure the safety of Ahmadiyah members following the recommendation.
"In Islam, Ahmadiyah is deviant. It is the government's domain to
outlaw it or not for stability reasons," NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi
said.
Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said there should be efforts to
persuade Ahmadiyah followers to return to mainstream Islamic teachings.
"It won't be easy to ban Ahmadiyah. The government may disband any sect
legally and formally, but culturally their beliefs may continue to
exist.
"Thus, a persuasive dialogue is the best way to convince them," Din said.
Extremist groups, including the Islam Defenders Front and the Muslim
People's Forum, are using the recommendation by Bakor Pakem to pressure
the government to dissolve Ahmadiyah immediately.
The Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity said banning Ahmadiyah
would violate the Constitution, which respects freedom of religion.
Institute executive director Raja Juli Antoni said the government
should not intervene in religious matters and urged the President to
annul the decision.
The move against Ahmadiyah was also condemned by the Alliance for Religious and Belief Freedom.
Ahmadiyah spokesman Fazal Mujeeb said the group would continue its activities and would not respond to the ban.
"The government has no reason to ban our activities. They simply don't
want to listen to us and have based this decision on a one-sided view,"
he said.
"We are on the right Islamic path. We are part of the Muslim community, even though we have some different opinions."
Facts about Ahmadiyah
* An Islamic sect founded in Qadian, Punjab, India, in 1889 by Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad (1839-1908), who claimed to be the mahdi -- a figure
expected by some Muslims to appear at the end of the world.
* The group is guided by a Khalifa (Caliph), its spiritual leader, who claims to commune with the Almighty and be the successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.
* Ahmadiyah entered Indonesia in 1925.
* There are two groups of Ahmadiyah in Indonesia -- Jamaah Ahmadiyah
Indonesia (JAI), also known as Ahmadiyah Qodiyani, and Indonesian
Ahmadiyah Movement (GAI), also called Ahmadiyah Lahore.
* JAI believes Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the last prophet after Muhammad, while GAI only considers Mirza to be a reformer.
* The Indonesian Ulema Council declared both JAI and GAI heretical sects.
* Attacks on Ahmadiyah increased following the council's fatwa.
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