Ade Armando's Figure And His Controversial Uploads That Ended In Persecution

Ade Armando was surrounded before being beaten by an unidentified mob during a demonstration by BEM SI students in front of the DPR RI building in Senayan, Jakarta on April 11, 2022. (Twitter)

JAKARTA - University of Indonesia (UI) FISIP lecturer, Chair of the Indonesia For All Movement (PIS), who is also a social media activist, Ade Armando was battered after being beaten by a mass demonstration at the DPR/MPR building, Central Jakarta, Monday 11 April 2022. Ade was immediately rushed to the hospital. to Siloam Semanggi Hospital, Jakarta with severe head injuries.

Previously, Ade told reporters that he did not participate in demonstrations with students. He supports the April 11 action by the BEM SI, which is to reject the postponement of the 2024 election and the extension of the President's term of office. Then, for no apparent reason, Ade was beaten by a group of mobs riding student demonstrations until they were battered and helpless.

Ade's name immediately went viral on Twitter social media after the beating in front of the DPR/MPR building. Ade Armando's keyword has been trending since Tuesday 12 April morning. Already 162 thousand tweets enliven the keyword. A number of netizens enlivened the comments column on Twitter to become the most popular keywords on Twitter Indonesia.

Not a few netizens criticized the beatings carried out by the demonstrators against Ade. Netizens hope that the perpetrators are severely punished.

“The savagery that Ade Armando experienced is a form of the death of democracy in this country. And the fruit of victory from the criminals of democracy," said @hasapradan.

"Pancasila Democracy has been replaced by Middle Eastern street democracy. Disagree with being judged brutally with labels in the name of religion. Local Wahabis," (@HASapardan) April 12, 2022

There were also netizens who prayed for the recovery of the University of Indonesia (UI) lecturer.

“get well soon om ade Armando,” — cakbas (@cakbas30814072) April 12, 2022.

Ade Armando's upload on his Hello account about the demonstration of BEM SI students on April 11, 2022. (HELLO)

Other netizens compared this beating with Will Smith's disgraceful behavior towards Chris Rock at the Oscars last year.

"Ade Armando's case made me understand why more will defend Will Smith than Chris Rock," said @manuelmarsen.

The news about Ade's beating was tumultuous, netizens said that Ade Armando's attention had stolen the BEM SI demonstration on April 11th.

"The news of the BEM SI demo yesterday lost to Ade Armando's news. Students were harmed," said @ahmadsa36401680.

Diplomat's Son

Ade was born in Jakarta, September 24, 1961. He is the son of Major Jus Gani and Juniar Gani. Ade's father was a diplomat, before finally being forced to step down after the collapse of the Soekarno government.

Ade is a communications expert, and teaches at the Department of Communication, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia (FISIP UI). He has also taught at several other universities at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Ade Armando, many who admire but not a few who hate. (AMONG)

Ade was also a member of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission for the period 2004–2007, Chair of the Communication Studies Program at FISIP UI for the period 2001–2003, and was the Director of Development of the Television Journalism Training Program-Internews in 2001–2002.

Ade was the editor of Koran Republika, according to his obsession. Due to the political pressure of the New Order and he felt that he was not objective, he then left the newspaper. Ade then stopped being a journalist. He became researcher and media research manager for Tylor Nelson Sofres in 1998–1999.

After that Ade Armando was invited by Marwah Daud Ibrahim to join as Director of Media Watch & Consumer Center in 2000–2001. which he considered independent and did not side with Habibie.

Ade's Controversial Uploads

In the realm of social media, the figure of Ade Armando is indeed controversial. For his fans, Ade is a genius thinker. On the other hand, in the eyes of his haters, this communication science lecturer is enemy number one.

This Minangkabau-blooded man always invites netizens to put forward "common sense logic", but often his uploads are "unhealthy". Some of Ade Armando's controversial uploads on his social media include:

Allah Is Not an Arab:

On January 25 2017, Ade Armando wrote on his Facebook because 'Allah is not an Arab. Of course Allah is pleased if the verses are read in Minang, Ambonese, Chinese, Hip-hop, Blues' styles.

This upload was then reported to the Polda Metro Jaya. Investigators named Ade as a suspect in the alleged violation of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (ITE). However, this case has not yet been followed up.

Upload the 'Joker' meme of DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan:

According to Ade, the meme he got from the WhatApp group was considered appropriate to criticize Anies, he also uploaded it on his Facebook account. Ade was then reported to Polda Metro Jaya, but this case is also not clear.

Upload a photo of Habib Rizieq wearing a Santa Claus hat in December 2017:

For the upload, Ade Armando was reported to the Criminal Investigation Police of the National Police. Ade was reported for the alleged crime of hate speech with ethnic, religious, racial, and intergroup (SARA) nuances as regulated in Article 28 Paragraph 2 of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) in conjunction with Article 156 of the Criminal Code.

Call the Adhan Unholy:

Ade Armando was reported to Polda Metro Jaya in April 2018 for alleged statements that the call to prayer was not holy. The tweet was made when Sukmawati was excited about reading a poem comparing the kidung with the sound of the call to prayer.

Call LGBT Not Forbidden in Islam:

On July 15, 2015, Ade again made a controversial statement. According to him, LGBT is innate, the Koran does not prohibit homosexual behavior. Sodomy sex is prohibited.

Ade Armando's upload is a meme of DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan on his Facebook page. (Facebook)

Call the 5 Times Prayers Not in the Qur'an:

Ade Armando also once said that the 5 daily prayers are not in the Koran. He made this comment when he commented on a statement from the Imam of the New York Mosque, Imam Shamsi Ali regarding the creed, prayer, fasting, hajj, not eating haram food, not committing adultery, it's sharia. Shamsi also said that those who do not follow the Shari'a are already Muslim.

"Actually in the Koran there is no command to pray five times a day. Just read the Koran, you will not find a verse that says prayer must be done 5 times a day. After all, I did it because I was young and I prayed 5 times because I felt the need to communicate with God constantly I myself have never considered my opinion the most correct, "said Ade Armando.

The statement “Smart people choose Ahok, stupid people choose Anies”:

Ade's controversy was repeated again in April 2017 during the DKI gubernatorial election. In his Facebook account, Ade uploaded a controversial status that said Ahok lost in the DKI gubernatorial election, showing that there are more stupid people than smart people.

"Smart people choose Ahok. Stupid people choose Anies. So if Ahok loses now, it means that there are far more stupid people than smart people. Keep it simple?" Ade wrote on his Facebook account.

Must be investigated thoroughly

However, the act of severe persecution that befell Ade Armando must be taken seriously. The perpetrators must be punished, because they have committed a crime. The persecution of Ade has also clearly harmed democracy in Indonesia.

The call for law enforcement officials to immediately investigate the perpetrators of the persecution against Ade was conveyed by academics, religious leaders, and activists online, Monday evening, April 11. Ade was not only mistreated, he was also treated inhumanely. His pants were pulled down and he was nearly stripped in public. In addition, the persecution of Ade in the name of religion is considered to have damaged the face of a tolerant Indonesia.

Professor of Anthropology UI Prof. Sulistyowati Irianto emphasized that something was wrong in the life of the nation and state in this country. This is because young people should not express their disapproval. Sulistyowati also asked the police to act decisively.

"Actions like this must not be allowed if we want this country to reach the age of one hundred years," he said in response to the persecution of Ade Armando.