Religion & Identity Politics

July 2020

News/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – July 5, 2020

Jakarta – Participants at Sunday’s “Crush Communism Rally” in Jakarta from organisations such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the 212 Alumni Brotherhood (PA 212) and the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI), read out an anti-communist charter.

June 2020

News/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – June 25, 2020

Jakarta – Alumni Brotherhood 212 (PA 212) Chairperson Slamet Maarif has denied accusation that the group intentionally provided a flag with the hammer-and-sickle logo on it to be set alight during a protest action against the Draft Law on Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (RUU HIP) on Wednesday June 24.

News/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – June 24, 2020

Jakarta – Islamic organisations from the National Anti-Communist Alliance (Anak NKRI) protesting the Draft Law on Pancasila Ideology Guidance (RUU HIP) set fire to a hammer-and-sickle flag – with is identified with communism – during protest in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Jakarta on Wednesday June 24.

News/Indonesia
Kompas.com – June 9, 2020

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) recorded 38 cases of religious blasphemy between January and May, 2020.

YLBHI Chairperson Asfinawati revealed that there were three pieces of legislation which were used to indict people in these cases.

Analysis/Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – June 3, 2020

Jakarta – Another hammer-and-sickle flag case has again raised its head after a flag with the communist logo was found in Makassar. Over the years such cases have occurred unintentionally, have related to scholarly studies, hoaxes intended to trigger unrests, criminalisation of activists and the revival of identity politics.

February 2020

News/Aceh
CNN Indonesia – February 20, 2020

Aceh – Units from the Aceh Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) and the Wilayatul Hisbah Islamic police (WH) conducted checks on female drivers wearing tight clothing and men wearing short trousers.

The checks netted scores of violators with one of the women wearing a flannel shirt and long trousers.

News/Indonesia
Tempo – February 10, 2020

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace Deputy Chairperson Bonar Tigor Naipospos says that there is no urgency for the government to build a tunnel of friendship connecting the Istiqlal Mosque and the St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral in Central Jakarta.

News/Aceh
CNN Indonesia – February 9, 2020

Aceh Besar – The Greater Aceh regency government in Aceh province has again banned people from celebrating Valentine’s Day because it is deemed to conflict with Syariat Islam (Islamic law).

January 2020

News/Indonesia
Tribune – January 31, 2020

Dwi Putra Kesuma, Sawangan – Opposing the presence of the Ahmadiyah religious sect, a number of people demonstrated and called for the Ahmadiyah headquarters on Jl Raya Sawangan in the Jakarta satellite city of Depok to be torn down.

News/Indonesia
Republika – January 11, 2020

Rusdy Nurdiansyah, Depok – Depok Mayor Muhammad Idris is furious about and deplores the same-sex violence committed by Reynhard Sinaga in Manchester, England. Sinaga has been found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment after committing sexual violence against 159 men.