Mahfud MD Talks About Terrorism Which Can Also Be Related To Politics And Ideology

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD/DOK Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD emphasized that terrorism does not always have a specific religious motive, but can be related to politics and ideology, so that understanding is not solely a matter of faith.

He gave an example of the movements carried out by the Free Papua Organization (OPM) including terrorism with political and ideological motives,

"For example, the movement in Papua called the OPM, so what is said to be terrorism is actually not only related to a particular religion. The OPM has political and ideological motives," said Mahfud while giving a speech representing President Joko Widodo at the commemoration of the 12th Anniversary of the National Agency for Countermeasures Terrorism (BNPT) in Jakarta was reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 19.

The political motive of the OPM movement, he continued, was to want to separate Papua from the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), so that the group resorted to violence to spread the ideology.

"The politics wants to break away, the ideology does not want to unite, does not want Pancasila, then commits violence in public places, burns airports, shoots civilians," he added.

Mahfud then mentioned the views of some people who often associate terrorism with certain religions. He affirmed and denied accusations that the anti-terrorism movement was an anti-Islam movement.

"I want to say specifically because it is often associated with religion. There are accusations why in Indonesia, when we talk about terrorism, why is it always Islam, meaning that the anti-terrorism movement is an anti-Islam movement? it is a religion that accepts cosmopolitanism," he explained.

According to him, the text of the proclamation of Indonesian independence, which was read by President Soekarno, has the same substance as the Medina Charter of the Prophet Muhammad.

"The Prophet Muhammad, when he founded the state, was a citizenship or cosmopolitan state. What is the evidence? The Medina Charter. The Medina Charter has the same substance as the proclamation of independence," he said.

The agreement to establish the state of Indonesia, he continued, is a noble agreement that must be adhered to. According to him, when someone wants to change the deed of agreement called the Proclamation of Independence and the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, it means they want to change Indonesia and dismantle the agreement.

"If it is carried out without a new agreement process, then it is called a rebellion, especially if it violates human dignity. Why should we maintain the integrity of Indonesia?" he said.

Indonesia is built from differences, which if it is not managed properly or is not realized by its citizens, it will lead to conflicts that lead to radicalism and terrorism.

"So what we are doing at BNPT is to raise awareness that the Indonesian state is built on diversity," he said.