The Promise of the Police to Take Firm Action Against Problematic Mass Organizations on Today’s Memori, August 31, 2010

The crowd calling itself the Indonesian People's Coalition Without FPI took action at the HI Roundabout, Jakarta, Tuesday (14/2/2012). (Between/Fanny Octavianus)

JAKARTA – Today's Memori, 13 years ago, 31 August 2010, the National Police Chief, General Bambang Hendarso Danuri, emphasized that the National Police must not be inferior to anarchist organizations. He made this statement in a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta.

He asked his staff to perpetuate firm action against problematic mass organizations. Previously, the National Police had noted that the trend of violence by mass organizations often increased from 2007-2010. The violence - according to National Police data - was dominated by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Betawi Rempug Forum (FBR).

Jakarta as the center of the Indonesian government cannot be underestimated. This narrative creates a circulation of money that takes place every day in Jakarta. People are also interested in coming to Jakarta to earn a living. There are those who earn a living by legal means. There are also those who make a fortune by illegal means.

There have been a lot of power struggles. This fact makes the violence rate increase. Instead of only perpetuating violence by individuals, violence is also carried out in groups. More specifically, violence increased due to the presence of mass organizations from various backgrounds. From religion to ethnicity.

The police also confirmed this. The authorities consider that the trend of violence perpetuated by mass organizations in Jakarta is increasing every year. Moreover, entering the era from 2007 to 2010, the National Police identified that the causes of the violence that occurred in Jakarta were narrowed down to two mass organizations: FPI and FBR.

Bambang Hendarso Danuri who served as National Police Chief from 2008-2010. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)

These two mass organizations often carry out vigilance actions (interpreting the law in their own way). In fact, the National Police considers their position to be the same as other community groups.

They often feel bigger than law enforcement. They will destroy anything that is considered contrary to ideology and beliefs. Most of the violence was perpetuated secretly and planned. This existence is thought to be because mass organization groups are political 'assets' of state officials.

“Storming places of 'sin' and 'immorality' serves as violence to enforce the law, often quite literally to the extent that vigilante actions by the FPI, FBR and others are able to pressure the government to pass legislation that they are in the best position to do. enforce them, such as forbidding the sale of alcohol or banning pornography.”

“Moralistic morals have become a powerful and effective form of political capital. "This is what makes vigilante groups move to the forefront of wider socio-political coalitions to become partners of regional governments and even, as the Minister of Home Affairs during the SBY era, Gamawan Fawzi said, national assets," explained Ian Wilson in the book "Politik Jatah Preman" (2018).

This condition made the National Police Chief, General Bambang Hendarso Danuri, angry. He could no longer see that from 2007-2010 the violence that occurred in Jakarta was often perpetuated by the FPI and FBR. In fact, cases of violence reached 107 cases.

He and his ranks made hard calculations for anarchist organizations. Bambang Hendarso Danuri then asked all of his staff to take firm action against mass organizations that commit violence in the field. He did not want to see the Police lose to anarchist organizations. He made this statement during a limited meeting at the Presidential Office on August 31, 2010.

"If there is an act of violence committed by them, there should be no more doubts that the members will take firm action in the field," the National Police Chief told the press before attending a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office as quoted by Antara, August 31, 2010.