Yuli Tri Suwarni and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Bandung/Malang – A group claiming to represent the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI) in Tasikmalaya, West Java, vowed on Wednesday to launch sweeping raids against Ahmadiyah property unless the organization was disbanded within 24 hours.
The threat seemingly mocked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's call to disband organizations that engage in anarchic violence, which he said threatened national unity and religious harmony. Yudhoyono made his call at a speech on Wednesday marking National Press Day in Kupang.
About 100 people riding on motorbikes and four trucks protested in front of the Tasikmalaya legislative council building on Wednesday, voicing opposition to Ahmadiyah.
"We just want Ahmadiyah to not use the name of Islam because they are not Islam. They have a different prophet and use the Tadzikoroh, not the Koran," rally leader Acep Sofyan said.
Attacks against Ahmadiyah first began in 1992 and became more frequent after the 2005 law on blasphemy was enacted. Many blame the government for not cracking down on the perpetrators of the attacks.
Acep accused the government of intentionally stalling a decision on whether Ahmadiyah should be forced to stop claiming it was an Islamic group and to not provoke Islamic organizations.
"Based on the joint ministerial decree passed in 2009, the government should disband Ahmadiyah. But they still exist," he said.
He said the FPI would destroy all Ahmadiyah property in Tasikmalaya – which is about 60 kilometers east of West Java's capital city, Bandung – if the council did not ban Ahmadiyah within 24 hours.
"We promise to bring more people and... don't prevent us from carrying out our actions," Acep said.
Ahmadiyah coordinator Encang Zarkasih blamed their prosecution on misinterpretations of the joint ministerial decree.
"The decree is being misconceived as a vehicle to disband Ahmadiyah. The decree only tells us not to worship openly. We still have the right to perform religious worship – that is stipulated in the decree," he said.
Encang said that the local Ahmadiyah community trusted the police and military to protect the 600 Ahmadis in Tasikmalaya.
Security around Ahmadi-owned properties in the area has been heightened following the Ciekusik massacre in Banten province, in which three Ahmadis were killed by a mob.
In December two Ahmadis were killed in Tasikmalaya by a mob who claimed the joint ministerial decree had disbanded Ahamadiyah. "We are resigned to accept whatever will happen," Encang said.
The Cikeusik incident has terrified Ahamadiyah communities throughout the country. In Palembang, South Sumatra, home to 1,000 Ahmadis, local leader Basuki Ahmad appealed to the security forces to protect his community.
"We are here only doing religious worship, saying prayers and attending learning forums. We never preach because that would violate the decree," he said.
In Malang, East Java, Ahmadiyah followers were urged to abandon their houses of worship and pray in mainstream mosques. This was a way for Ahmadiyah communityto still practise their religion, Faishal Haq, a lecturer at the Surabaya's Sunan Ampel Institute of Islamic Studies, said.
"I think there is no differences between religious practices. They also perform prayers five times a day."
He said religious differences should be settled within the Islamic community. "Islam is the religion that gives peace to mankind. Why should there be violence?" he said.
[Khairul Saleh contributed to the reports from Palembang.]