When Gus Dur Called Rizieq Shihab A Local Terrorist And The Hope For Disbandment Of FPI

Gus Dur (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - The government officially prohibits all activities and existence of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI). Alissa Wahid responded to this, bringing up the violence committed by FPI again. Alissa's tweets also reminded us of how Alissa's father, Gus Dur, who was the former President of Indonesia, wanted FPI to be dissolved.

"Listen to the Kemenkopolhukam press conference, so remember taking to the streets in 2010-2011 with the hashtag #IndonesiTanpaFPI because FPI has repeatedly committed acts of violence," wrote Alissa Wahid, quoted Wednesday, December 30.

Alissa also mentioned the FPI's refusal action which ended in chaos in the HI Roundabout area. Alissa said, the rioting broke out when an FPI member provoked her. The FPI member was later found out carrying sharp weapons and stones.

"Really remember the #IndonesiaTanpaFPI action at the HI Roundabout, a bit chaotic, @fullmoonfolks beaten, taken to the Polda Metro, I accompanied, fortunately there was a video of a journalist, the provocateur was looking for from there, it turned out that FPI people in their bags were carrying stones and sajam," wrote Alissa.

Alissa also mentioned that her counterpart to FPI was the continuation of Gus Dur's struggle, especially in relation to the FPI attacking Ahmadiyah. "My tipping point is obsessed with continuing Gus Dur's struggle when FPI attacked the Ahmadiyah village in ManisLor."

"Ahmadiyah people by telephone cry, 'we will survive to death. If Gus Dur was still there, he would be standing in front of our gate tomorrow morning.'"

FPI Gus Dur's Hopes Disbanded

Gus Dur has long wanted to dissolve FPI. Since the 2000s, Gus Dur's attitude has been the same: FPI must be dissolved.

Gus Dur, when visiting victims of FPI violence at Mitra Internasional Hospital in June 2008, criticized the attitude of state officials who seemed to have silenced the FPI. At that time, Gus Dur was no longer president.

"I cannot take action, I am not a state apparatus. I only appeal to the National Police Chief to act immediately," said Gus Dur, quoted from NU Online.

At that time, FPI carried out an attack against the mass Aliasi Nationality and Freedom of Religion and Belief (AKKBB) at the National Monument (Monas), Jakarta. 12 AKKBB members were injured.

The police did not take any action against the FPI. They reasoned that they did not want to make things worse. "If we were prosecuted, it could cause chaos, it would even worsen the atmosphere. We want it to be like catching fish, the water remains calm," said Central Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Pol Heru Winarko at that time.

But for Gus Dur it was simple. Indonesia has legal provisions that must be upheld. Anyone who uses a weapon to attack another person should be tried.

“The government doesn't dare. In time I will disband FPI, ”said Gus Dur.

However, this attitude was actually questioned. If Gus Dur wants to disband FPI, why doesn't he dissolve it? Gus Dur answered this question casually.

According to Gus Dur, although he wanted FPI to be gone, he had other work priorities which he thought were more important to do. "Working people have priorities. My priority is to keep Indonesia unified, not unraveled," said Gus Dur.

"Rizieq Shihab is a local terrorist"

Gus Dur's negative view of FPI also dragged the name of Grand Imam Habib Rizieq Shihab. On one occasion, after meeting the Ambassador of the United States (US), Ralph Leo Boyce at the PBNU office, Jalan Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, Monday, September 30, 2002, Gus Dur called Rizieq a "local terrorist."

Gus Dur even aligned Rizieq with the Chairman of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and Ja'far Umar Thalib. One example mentioned by Rizieq is how the three of them always carry weapons when traveling. "That is prohibited by law. It continues to scare people. Is it not a terrorist," said Gus Dur, quoted by Liputan6.com.

Gus Dur at that time claimed to have been involved in acts of terror. "So investigate it first. Also ask other countries. So be serious, not like now," said Gus Dur.

At that time the meeting between Boyce and Gus Dur ended without agreement. In a separate location, Ba'asyir called the accusation that he was a terrorist was slander. Ba'asyir saw the accusation as a way for the US to disguise the desire to fight Islam.

At that time Ba'asyir also invited the government to supervise all activities of the Mujahidin Council if the agency's activities were linked to terrorist networks.