JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The government has taken legal action to disband Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia. This move is not because the government is against Islamic mass organizations, but for the purpose of protecting the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.
According to the government, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) does not play a positive role in achieving national goals. “The activities carried out by the HTI strongly conflict with the objectives, principles and characteristics of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, as stipulated in Law No. 17/2013 on mass organizations,” said Coordinating Politics, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto in Jakarta on Monday (8/5).
The disbandment of the HTI, Wiranto said, will be done through legal mechanisms.
Wiranto made the announcement at a media conference accompanied by Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H Laoly, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and the Attorney General’s Office junior attorney for intelligence, Adi Toegarisman.
Responding to the government’s move, HTI spokesperson Ismail Yusanto said last night in Satu Meja talk show broadcast by Kompas TV that the HTI had always preached Islamic teachings in a courteous and peaceful manner. “So how could it be that the HTI preaches a teaching that conflicts with Pancasila?” he said.
The HTI, Ismail added, was registered with the Law and Human Rights Ministry in accordance with the terms stated in the Mass Organizations Law. On July 2, 2014, the HTI was granted the status of a legal organization.
Banned
Nadhlatul Ulama executive council (PBNU) chairman Robikin Emhas said a number of countries had banned Hizbut Tahrir (HT). In 2009, Bangladesh banned the HT because it was considered a threat to peace. Egypt also banned the HT in 1974. The HT is also banned in Syria and Turkey.
“Many countries banned HT in the 2000s, such as Tunisia, Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Closer to home, Malaysia banned the HT in 2015 through a fatwa committee in Selangor. This means that Indonesia is not alone. However, of course its disbandment must be done through legal procedures,” Robikin said.
The PBNU, Robikin added, supported the government’s decision to take legal action to disband the HTI.
Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir stressed that Muhammadiyah respected the government’s decision to use legal means to take action against the HTI.
Haedar explained that the ideological position of Muhammadiyah was darul ahdi aw syahadah, which means a country that practices consensus of all of the country’s powers must act in line with the soul, thought and dreams of the nation’s founders. “Therefore, every citizen, organization and component of the nation must be in agreement and accept an Indonesia that is based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, be loyal to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and respect diversity. There must not be anyone that is against the principle and existence of NKRI, which achieved independence in 1945,” Haedar said.
Regarding the legal process against the HTI, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said the police would provide evidence that HTI\'s activities violated the law. The evidence will be handed to prosecutors, who will propose the disbandment of the mass organization through the court. “We will supply the evidence. It is about the matter of ideology that is not in accordance with Pancasila and that it wants khilafah [caliphate],” Tito said.
Ismail said the HTI had no police record of breaking the law or causing unrest.
Diverse
Attorney General HM Prasetyo stressed that mass organizations in Indonesia varied in terms of their nationalistic or religious ideology. “There are mass organizations that have both ideologies, where its nationalistic ideology is good and its religious ideology is also good. These kinds of mass organizations need to be nurtured to protect the integrity of the nation,” Prasetyo said.
However, Prasetyo added, there were also mass organizations that had deviant religious ideologies but had a good nationalist ideology. These kinds of mass organizations need to be culturally or religiously approached so that they can be steered toward the right path.
Meanwhile, there are mass organizations that have a good religious ideology but have a nationalistic ideology that is a threat to the integrity of the country. Mass organizations that conflict with Pancasila and threaten the integrity of the country must be dealt with.
Role of ulema
Separately, Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman KH Ma’ruf Amin said Islamic clerics played a part in establishing NKRI. Therefore, clerics also have a big responsibility in himayatu daulah or protecting NKRI from radicalism. “It is obligatory for clerics to protect the integrity of NKRI,” Ma’ruf said, who on Saturday last week attended the halaqah (meeting) of clerics and kiai (scholars) at Pondok Pesantren Gedongan Islamic boarding school in Cirebon.
Ma’ruf also called on the country’s kiai to be more aware when educating about and advocating for the benefits of Muslims and to bear in mind the Constitution, diversity and tolerance. He also reminded kiai to always emphasize uswah or the example taught by clerics of the past.
Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University professor Azyumardi Azra said clerics and moderate mass organizations should be more active in giving religious sermons and lectures to grassroots followers.
Katib Aam of Nadhlatul Ulama\'s executive council, Yahya S Staquf, said the call to reject nationalism was often countered by opportunist politicians who exploited religious issues to gain public support.
According to Yahya, there are groups that cannot accept reforms, including of the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, because it stripped them of their “political share” and restricted their access to practical politics.
GP Ansor head Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said every attempt to undermine Pancasila and NKRI must be challenged legally by the state or socially by the people. This is because the fight to seize and maintain independence, including establishing Pancasila, was not a matter of trial and error.
Pancasila is the realization of the nation\'s dreams, spirit and condition of Indonesia that stretches across thousands of islands and comprises hundreds of ethnicities and dozens of religions and faiths.
( I N A / I L O/ Z A K/ I V V/ O N G/ E D N )
