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| Our tagline - Indonesia Without FPI |
Valentine's Day this year was marked differently in Jakarta, Indonesia. More than 100 demonstrators gathered in Bundaran HI (Hotel Indonesia Roundabout), the iconic spot used for various demonstrations in the country. Participants are individuals coming from different backgrounds. There were artists, musicians, advocates, film directors, book authors, writers, marginalized group members (LGBT, PLHIV, drug users, drug addict), lawyers, migrant workers, punk community members, corporate workers, fashion designer, housewives, students, actors, actress, radio DJ, journalists and activists. All came with one concern: TO FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE. This movement was called "Gerakan #IndonesiaTanpaFPI" or Indonesia Without FPI Movement. FPI is a civil society organization, stands for Front of Islamic Defender. The organization was formed in 1998 and is widely-known to have violent behaviour. A long track record of vandalism, raids, battery, human rights violations, trespassing, defamation and forcing opinion to others is following the growth of this group. Several areas in Indonesia had stood up and reject the existence of this group such as Aceh, North Sumatra, North Sulawesi, East Borneo, West Borneo, Papua and the most recent one was in Central Borneo. To keep the momentum going, citizens of Jakarta held the action soon after the riot in Central Borneo.
The mobilization was done through Twitter (with the same hashtag) for a couple of day before around 40 people gathered on Sunday, 12 February 2012 to follow up the discussion. The meeting was somehow compromised and we could see many police officers in civilian clothes were lingering outside the meeting venue. I even saw some of them sat in the very same cafe with us, only a couple tables away, pretending to be regular customers of the cafe. It was on that Sunday the decision to hold the rally was made. Since FPI is against the celebration of Valentine's Day, the activists felt that it would be the perfect time to hold the rally. We prepared pink stuffed-pig as a Valentine gift for Rizieq, the chief of FPI whom usually called Habib Rizieq. We all refused to use the title "Habib" because in Arabic it means "The Loving One" and we failed to see love and compassion in him. Through a very short period of time for mobilization, the movement managed to spread the message and get the attention from the citizens, media, MPs, Nahdhatul Ulama, Minister of Home Affairs and even the President. We saw on TV that the President gave a specific security briefing for anticipation of chaos.
The mobilization was done through Twitter (with the same hashtag) for a couple of day before around 40 people gathered on Sunday, 12 February 2012 to follow up the discussion. The meeting was somehow compromised and we could see many police officers in civilian clothes were lingering outside the meeting venue. I even saw some of them sat in the very same cafe with us, only a couple tables away, pretending to be regular customers of the cafe. It was on that Sunday the decision to hold the rally was made. Since FPI is against the celebration of Valentine's Day, the activists felt that it would be the perfect time to hold the rally. We prepared pink stuffed-pig as a Valentine gift for Rizieq, the chief of FPI whom usually called Habib Rizieq. We all refused to use the title "Habib" because in Arabic it means "The Loving One" and we failed to see love and compassion in him. Through a very short period of time for mobilization, the movement managed to spread the message and get the attention from the citizens, media, MPs, Nahdhatul Ulama, Minister of Home Affairs and even the President. We saw on TV that the President gave a specific security briefing for anticipation of chaos.
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| We reject violence, not Islam! |
I was the first to arrive at the venue on February 14th. I used the time to report the situation. There were another Islamic group having a rally at the roundabout. They were protesting against the celebration of Valentine's Day, but not from FPI. The group was Hizbuth Thahir Indonesia or HTI (God, forgive me if I misspelled the abbreviation!), which is like a "sister" to FPI. It was a small group. I heard they held the rally since morning but had to stop when the rain was pouring heavily. Lucky for us, ours was decided to be executed at 4 PM and the weather was totally friendly. I was meant to standby at the meeting point and organize the participants, check any personal banners to make sure there is no hatred posters.
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| Hartoyo from Our Voice, partiipant from LGBT community |
The participants of Gerakan #IndonesiaTanpaFPI started to come at around 3.30 PM. We quickly coordinate and organize ourselves. Our 2 field coordinators gave the initial statement to the media before we start walking towards the big roundabout. I heard there were 250 police officers were assigned to secure this rally. However, after 15 minutes at the roundabout the Chief Police told the field coordinators to calmly dismiss the rally because they got the information that the FPI is moving toward the roundabout; and the police cannot guarantee the safety of the demonstrators (WTF???). Since we had several back up scenarios, we tried to figure out the best one. The field coordinators also wouldn't risk physical contacts since many of the participants were women and young people. So, the police forced us to go back to the roadside by Plaza Indonesia. But suddenly my friends and I got messages that FPI is NOT coming. The info was a phony. We spread the message discreetly and insisted to have the orations in front of Plaza Indonesia. We suspected that the police didn't want to be held responsible for any chaos. But rumour says, it is because initially FPI was formed by the police with political agenda and recruited as the attack dog of the police force in Indonesia.
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| One of the provocateurs. He shouts "Valentine haram...!!" before start punching Bagha (wearing hat, holding banner on the left side) |
So, we continued our rally on the roadside until at some point, Bagha, our field coordinator was suddenly beaten by a guy (picture above, wearing green cap and checkers shirt) who shouted "Valentine haram....!!!!" and then out of the blue the guy started to attack Bagha. A physical contact broke and people were struggling between saving Bagha, taking the attacker and getting away from the journalists who didn't make room for them to move away. The police finally managed to get Bagha away from the guy and took him to the nearest post to get him secured, while the attacker and 2 others were put in a barred-car.
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| The moment when the assault happened |
Knowing Bagha was safe and sound in the police station, we continued the rally. Hanung Bramantyo, a film director who also had a bad experience with FPI concerning the banning of his film "?" (a really good film about pluralism - protested & banned by FPI for stupid reason: because the Moslem character in that film died defending Christians in the church that was bombed on Christmas Eve - Seriously, WTF????) participated in the speech after Alissa Wahid (daughter of Gus Dur). Lisa's father was once banned by FPI from attending a cross-ethnic & pluralism dialogue and was called "Kyai anjing" (Imam of dogs) to his face by the members of FPI. Among us, we could see Jajang C Noer (senior actress), Nia Dinata (film director), Ayu Utami (book author), Arie Dagienk (famous Radio DJ), Durga (famous tattoo artist) participated in the rally devotedly.
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| Lynda, from Aksi Perempuan, is one of the initiators for the movement |
After a couple of hours, we started to realized that the crowd was getting a lot bigger and it was very fluid. You can't really tell which one is which anymore. It was a mixture of participants, audience and by-passers. So we decided to dismiss the rally as it was already getting dark as well. Galeshka and I started to walk around to tell people we know to slowly dismiss themselves because we wouldn't want to risk anymore chaos and then have to take responsibilities for things we didn't do. As Galeshka and I parted ways to inform others, he was talking to a journalist, giving a statement when suddenly a guy punched him. The crowd quickly went after him but he was too quick. Even a dozen of policemen couldn't get him. That was the point where we really.... really thought we should dismiss ourselves that instance!
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| FPI is not the face of Islam... |
Bagha and his attackers were taken to the Central Police station to be processed as an assault case. Our friends from the law firm accompanied them to ensure legal protection for Bagha as we have already heard rumours about the twisting of our initial concern. Since the beginning we always said that we are holding up the issues of violence & human rights, but FPI fanboys and fangirls twisted it as if we are against Islam. We kept clarifying through Twitter and media that we are not against Islam, we are against violence. And that if FPI is a CSO based on other issues (non-Islam) and they were violent, we would still be having the rally. The Islam element was just an unfortunate coincidence that sadly was easily twisted by narrow-minded people. In our understanding, Islam and any other religions never suggest violence instead of peace, so it sickened us that FPI done so many vandalism all these years, and yet the government nor the police ever done anything about it.
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| An elderly man was captured among those who were suspected as provocateurs |
As the night falls, we hang out for coffee while some other went to the Central Police station to be processed as witnesses. Everyone kept updating the situation at the Central Police station. We found shocking facts posted by our friends from the law firm. He said that 3 provocateurs were arrested. One adult, one slightly young man and one elder. The young man at the beginning told our friends that the police arrested him by mistake because he was just waiting for his friend at the venue, and that he lived behind the mall. And as the conversation going with our friends, the adult guy called his lawyer. When he was on the phone with the lawyer, suddenly he shouted a name, and this young man raised his hand at once. So, he was part of the provocateur! And then, there was this elderly man, whom everyone felt pity on. He was on his own, sitting in the corner and had no companion. The next thing they know was when the lawyer finally arrived, he introduced himself as the lawyer sent from Petamburan. And the silence fell.... because Petamburan is the base of FPI. Not just that, he actually personally know all three of the arrested men! Oh man.....!!!!!
The investigation went until 3 AM. Bagha was released after got visum et repertum at the hospital while those 3 men were kept in custody of the Central Police. The result of the investigation was that all three of them admitted they were FPI members and that there were 50 of them; mingling with the participants but only 5 who were actively "working". So, two others were still out there. We assumed that Galeshka's attacker was one of them.
The battle is still on. This rally was only the beginning. We are going to strategically plan our next move soon.... SAVE INDONESIA, INDONESIA WITHOUT VIOLENCE is INDONESIA WITHOUT FPI...!!!
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| "Dismiss FPI" |
"The next day, we still monitor the spin off in Twitter regarding false accusations toward our movement. Each and everyone of the leading participants got bullied severely in Twitter and Facebook by fanboys and fangirls of FPI (including myself!). They call us followers of JIL (Jaringan Islam Liberal - Liberal Islamic Network) and disregard our clarification. They continue to spread hoax news, hatred speech and insults on our movement. They refused to acknowledged wide supports given by the society for us and continue to call us 'kafir', 'hypocrites' and Godless group. The Minister of Home Affairs had issued a strong suggestion to the President on deactivation of the group due to public demand. Ministry of Religion had sent a warning letter (and this is actually the 2nd letter for them!) and House of Parliament is now in the process of redrafting the Regulations on Civil Society Formation that will include more comprehensive criteria and sanctions for any violations and simplifications on dismissal of the group. It is still a long way, but we have made a great impact in such short period of preparation, and we will continue this battle until Indonesia is free from violence.... And for that goal, we'll start with this particular group..."
[I am one of the initiator for this movement. And I am proud of myself for being involved in such historical event that hopefully will change the future of this country...]
