The Khilafatul Muslimin Is Proof That The Deradicalization Program Has Not Been Successful

JAKARTA – A mass organization called Khilafatul Muslimin is making headlines in Indonesia this week. This organization clearly calls for a caliphate, an ideology that is contrary to Pancasila as the basis of the Indonesian state. Yet their activities continue. This is one proof that the deradicalization program has not been successful.

It started with a convoy carrying the theme "Khilafah Awakening" in the Cawang area, East Jakarta on Sunday morning 29 May 2022. A group of motorbike riders in green uniforms passed by. Accompanied by up to tens of motorbikes, while carrying a large green flag with Arabic writing on it.

In addition to a large flag with Arabic writing, dozens of motorbikes also carried posters with various writings. On average, these posters carry messages about the caliphate, including: "Be a Pioneer in Enforcing the Khilafah 'Ala Minjahin Nubuwwah", "Welcoming the Awakening of the Khilafah Islamiyah", and "The Khilafah Is Worship of the Khilafah That Belongs to the Muslims".

It was clear that the convoy's actions caused a commotion. The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) immediately spoke up. BNPT's Director of Prevention, Brigadier General Ahmad Nurwakhid said that the action displayed by Khilafatul Muslimin was dangerous for Indonesia, which is based on Pancasila.

"The ideological aspect is very dangerous by having the ideology of a caliphate in Indonesia, such as HTI, JI, JAD, and other terrorist networks," Nurwahid told VOI, last May 31.

Metro Jaya Police Chief, Inspector General. Fadil Imran immediately formed a team to investigate the Khilafatul Muslimin mass organization, which went viral on their “supporting the caliphate” convoy.

"What is clear is that according to the order of the Polda Metro, we have formed a team and have also been on the ground conducting an investigation," said the Head of Public Relations of the Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Endra Zulpan on June 2.

"Activities like this are against the provisions of the law in our country and the Polda Metro Jaya will take firm action," Zulpan said again.

The leaflets distributed by Khilafatul Muslimin in convoys are said to contain fake news, which has a high potential to cause trouble. It can even trigger a treason movement.

"It is known that the convoy distributed brochures or leaflets about an invitation to Muslims, especially in Brebes Regency to follow the caliphate ideology," said Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo at a press conference on June 8.

It turned out that the convoy was not the only time that the Khilafatul Muslimin mass organization did it. The convoy action, which the group calls syiar motorbikes, has been carried out regularly since 2018. On a scheduled basis, Khilafatul Muslimin organizes motorbike convoys every four months.

"Four months of routine activities. It's early 2017 or early 2018. Because in 2018 we held a worldwide Islamic caliphate event in Jakarta. The activities were centered in Jakarta at that time," said Amir Khilafatul Muslimin for the Greater Jakarta Area, Muhammad Abudan, to VOI, May 31.

"Well, in the context of the event, the pre-event was a discussion activity, there was a motor syiar activity. In the past, it was done for the publication of large activities. Even if there are no big activities now, there will still be syiar motor activities," said Muhammad Abudan again.

Motor syiar activities are not only carried out in Jakarta, but in many areas in Indonesia. Motor syiar was also carried out in Karawang and Bekasi (West Java), Jepara (Central Java), Brebes (Central Java), Surabaya (East Java), Bandar Lampung (Lampung), Lubuk Linggau (South Sumatra), Medan (North Sumatra), Aceh, to Dompu on the island of Sumatra. Sumbawa (NTB).

The activity of the Khilafatul Muslimin syiar motorbike in Jepara actually received rejection from the Jepara Police Chief, but the action was still carried out. According to Abudan, motorized activities while broadcasting the call for a caliphate continue to be carried out because it is part of worship.

The climax of the caliphate activity carried out by the Khilafatul Muslimin was the arrest of their leader, Abdul Qadir Baraja. The 77-year-old man from Taliwang, West Sumbawa was arrested in Bandar Lampung on Tuesday morning, June 7. Apart from Abdul Qadir Baraja, three other members of the Khalifatul Muslimin were also arrested.

"Yes, that's right, Aldul Qadir Baraja was arrested," said Kombes Zulpan, confirming the arrest of the supreme leader of the Khilafatul Muslimin.

"Polda Metro Jaya is backed up by Barekrim and Polda Lampung is currently investigating several people," said Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo, on June 7.

Abdul Qadir Baraja has been poor across the world of terrorism in Indonesia. He was once associated with the Warman Terror in 1979. One of the well-known Warman Terror acts was the assassination of the Chancellor of Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta (UNS), DR. Parmanto MA

Parmanto's murder was motivated by the Chancellor's explanation to the security forces about the Darul Islam network or Jamaah Islamiyah. This exposure led to the arrest of two militant figures who were always associated with the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) organization, Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir in 1983. For his involvement in the Warman Terror, Abdul Qadir was imprisoned for 3 years.

After being released from prison, Abdul Qadir was again involved in acts of terror. This time he was in the action of the bombing of Borobudur Temple on January 21, 1985 and the Pemudi Express bus in Banyuwangi, East Java on March 16 of the same year. For his involvement, Abdul Qadir was imprisoned in Lowokwaru Prison, Malang for 13 years.

It also stated that Abdul Qadir Baraja was the leader of Komando Jihad, which in the 1980s was the main enemy of the Indonesian government under President Suharto. According to Ahmad Nurwakhid, Abdul Qadir is a former member of the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII) who is also one of the founders of the Al-Mu'min Islamic Boarding School in Ngruki, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java.

In an interview published by Gatra Magazine on October 16, 2019, Abdul Qadir Baraja who also used the name Albulkadir Al-Habsyi said that he was different. The struggle through the Khilafatul Muslimin, he said, was far from the concept of violence.

“I used to be a rebel, the struggle with brutal violence, my work in the past, when I was young I've been through all that. I already know and regret it all, it's a sin in the end,” said Abdul Qodir recounted.

"I also lead the Jihad Command. Yes, the people from NII are also NII, but we are not the ones who named Komando Jihad. That's the government that we call Komando Jihad," he added.

Experienced prison for almost 20 years, Abdul Qadir said he felt grateful. For a dozen years he pondered, until he realized that resistance through violence was a mistake.

“I am grateful that while in prison, I reflected on my mistakes. While still in prison in 1997, I announced the establishment of the Caliphate of the Khilafatul Muslimin," said Abdul Qadir.

According to him, the Caliphate of the Khilafatul Muslimin is not an ideology, but a struggle to earth the Khilafatul for the prosperity of the earth and the welfare of mankind through the teachings of Allah and His messenger. In line with the freedom to apply the teachings of all religions, without allowing its citizens to make rules that are contrary to the teachings of their own religion.

"Many have misunderstood. Khilafatul is not an ideology, but a way of life. So actually not only Muslims can join the Khilafatul, all religions are allowed," said Abdul Qadir Baraja adding an explanation.

He tried to make sure that the citizens of the Muslim Khilafatul were very peace-loving and non-violent. Abdul Qadir said that its citizens were scattered throughout Indonesia, even abroad.

Abdul Qadir in the interview also proudly said that the Khalifatul Muslimin office in Bandar Lampung was not closed by the government, even though the word Khilafah was clearly displayed.

After Abdul Qadir Baraja was arrested, the Khilafatul Muslimin site was inaccessible.

According to Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo at a press conference on June 8, Abdul Qadir Baraja will be charged with Article 14 and/or 15 of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning Criminal Law. The supreme leader of the Khilafatul Muslimin is not charged with the Terrorism Criminal Act.

The news that emerged about the Khilafatul Muslimin organization reminded us of the deradicalization program initiated by the Indonesian government in 2002. There are still disagreements about the success of the program.

BBC Indonesia in 2018 published a report entitled Surabaya Bombing Attack: Deradicalization Program Was Failed, BNPT Did Not Accept. Quoting the opinion of a researcher from the Center for the Study of Terrorism and Social Conflict, University of Indonesia, Solahudin, the measure of success or failure of the deradicalization program is difficult to determine.

"First, radical people must know their level of radicalism. After entering the deradicalization program, we are intervened, we will see whether there are results or not. So, so far, the level of radicalism has never been measured by people who have been given deradicalization. Cannot be compared, before intervention and after intervention. It cannot be measured," Solahudin told BBC Indonesia.

The second weakness regarding the deradicalization program, according to Solahudin, is that it targets people who are no longer in contact with violence. People who have a commitment not to commit acts of terror again. On the other hand, people who are still committed to acts of terror are not touched.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir can be an example. Until his release from detention at the Gunung Sindur Prison, Bogor on January 8, 2021, Ba'asyir persisted in not recognizing Pancasila as the ideology of the Indonesian state. The 83-year-old figure is only willing to be loyal to God, Allah SWT, and will not admit or obey other ideologies.

BNPT's Director of Deradicalization, Irfan Idris, once emphasized that the implementation of the deradicalization program is not easy. Especially if you see that BNPT was only established in 2010.

"Don't imagine that it's like a ministry of the same age as Indonesia, so we're going to do it gradually. We need time, we need processes, we need experts, we need strategies. These people have very strong ideologies. There is a family approach, a religious approach, a psychological approach, a community approach, a social approach," Irfan said as quoted by BBC Indonesia.

One more weakness that Indonesia has in terms of handling radicalism and terrorism, we do not have a rule of law that can take action against someone who is suspected of having been exposed to radicalism. The apparatus can only take action against organizations or individuals that have been proven to support or carry out acts of terror.

In the Lemhanas virtual public lecture on July 9, 2020, Vice President Ma'aruf Amin stated that Indonesian citizens who are Muslim should not bring the concept of caliphate into our national life. Because it is a violation of the existing agreement in the form of Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.