“Who Gave Them The License To Speak On Behalf Of Islam”
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) is in the spotlight once again. Known for its violent acts, the Islamic Defenders Front or Front Pembela Islam (FPI) in Bahasa Indonesia has already chalked up 34 cases of violence between 2010 and 2011. This has prompted Saleh Daulay, Muhammadiyah Youth chairman to say: “The FPI seems to have more power than law enforcers.” And now, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has waded into the controversy, questioning the Islamic credentials of the Islamic Defenders Front, saying: “Who gave them the license to speak on behalf of Islam?”
About The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI)
The aim of the Islamic Defenders Front is to implement Sharia law in Indonesia. But it goes about doing this in a violent way, often conducting its own raids on bars, massage parlours and gaming halls. Such violent action prompted some to call it an urban thug organization.
The founder of the Islamic Defenders Front is Muhammad Rizieq Syihab, who established it in 1998. From its inception, the Islamic Defenders Front enjoyed support from military and police generals. According to Wikileaks, leaked US diplomatic cables stated that the Islamic Defenders Front receives funding from the police. If this leaked report is true, then Saleh Daulay’s observation that “the FPI seems to have more power than law enforcers” may just tie in.
Saleh Daulay’s statement was in response to a recent comment by Hasbi Ibrahim, FPI’s legal and propagation division staff who said that the perceived sluggishness of the police in upholding law concerning night clubs and other places of vice prompted the Islamic Defenders Front to conduct its own raids (often with violence).
FPI’s Islamic Credentials Questioned
This week the newly established Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) began holding their first meeting in Jakarta. This Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission was set up by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in April 2010 to deal with human rights issues.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is in town to attend this first meeting of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission.
At a press conference the other day, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu was asked for his views on the violence committed by the Islamic Defenders Front. In reply, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said: “From where did they get the license to do such things? When somebody says ‘I am doing this in the name of Islam,’ we have to question who gave them the license to speak on behalf of Islam”.
Saleh Daulay said earlier that the violent action by FPI gave Islam a bad name, saying: “Amar ma’ruf nahi munkar (promoting good deeds and preventing bad deeds) should be implemented by showing a good example, but the FPI instead shows deeds that disturb public order”.
Calls To Ban The FPI
It seems that Indonesians, including moderate Muslims, have just about enough from the FPI. There have been calls for the Islamic Defenders Front to be banned.
The Central Kalimantan Dayak Tribe Council (DAD) earlier this month called on the Central Kalimantan Police to ban the FPI from establishing a provincial chapter in Central Kalimantan.
This follows a protest on February 11 when protesters from the Dayak tribe successfully blocked the arrival of 4 FPI senior leaders to inaugurate the FPI provincial chapter in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. The action by the protesters prompted the airport authorities to detain the 4 senior FPI leaders onboard the plane before flying them out later.
FPI On Denial Mode
So is the Islamic Defenders Front a violent organization? Rizieq Shihab, an FPI leader answered: “Violence is no longer our method. We have abandoned it.”
Last Friday, Jakarta police named 3 FPI members as suspects for vandalizing the Home Affairs Ministry last month during a demonstration against a proposal to revise a bylaw on alcohol sales.
Reacting to the police action, Habib Salim bin Umar Alatas, the chairman of FPI’s Jakarta branch said: “FPI is not an institution immune to the law. We respect regulations and the state laws. We never run away from the legal process. So, if our members broke the law, go ahead and process them accordingly. We support the legal process.”
Think About It
So has the Islamic Defenders Front changed? Has it really abandoned violence? Saleh Daulay said that “the FPI seems to have more power than law enforcers”. But Habib Salim bin Umar Alatas said: “FPI is not an institution immune to the law.” Who is right? Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu questioned if the Islamic Defenders Front is really Islamic. Is it?
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