Indonesia: Controversy over blasphemy escalates

The Society for Threatened Peoples STP warns about increasing religious tensions in Indonesia after Catholic students have accused an influential Islamist leader of blasphemy. “We expect troubled times for the world’s most populous Muslim state. The controversy about blasphemy is about to escalate. With regard to tolerance between the different religious communities, the increasing controversies over religious belief are a matter of great concern,” explained Ulrich Delius, the STP’s Asia expert, in Göttingen on Wednesday. Yesterday, the Islamists in return announced plans to initiate lawsuits against the Catholic students who raised the blasphemy accusations.

On December 28, 2016, the Association of the Catholic Students of Indonesia (PMKRI) and the Student Peace Institute had accused Rizieq Shibab, the founder of the Islamic Defense Front (FPI), of blasphemy – which is especially problematic because Rizieq is Indonesia’s most important Islamic agitator. In November 2016, he had mobilized a hundred thousand people to take part in protests against the Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (a.k.a. “Ahok”), in order to have him accused of blasphemy. In case of conviction, both Ahok and Rizieq could be facing up to five years in prison.

Rizieq is accused of blasphemy because he posted a 22-second video of one of his speeches on a social media platform on Christmas Day of 2016, asking “If Jesus is the Son of God, then who was his midwife?” The Catholic students saw this as a vilification of their religious beliefs and had accused the Islamist leader of religious intolerance.

The Christians will be able to rely on a lot of legal support in the case of official investigations against Rizieq. A team of 149 lawyers has announced to be willing to support the students’ initiative. Currently, the police has not yet decided whether to open official investigation against Rizieq.

The accusations against the Islamist leader could also have consequences for the blasphemy case against Ahok. In the case of a lawsuit against Rizieq, one of the most important plaintiffs in the case against Ahok would become a culprit as well. “However, this will not help to calm down the heated debate about blasphemy and the instrumentalization of religious questions in a power struggle between reformers and Indonesia’s old elite,” said Delius.

Header Photo: Slilin via Flickr