Letter: Ban the FPI!

Religious organizations like the FPI (Islamic Defenders Front) consistently stirs up controversies.

Beside the famous sweeping action, they also conduct rallies with hundreds of motorcycles, spreading fear to minorities and bringing dishonor to good Muslims.

Recently, they attacked HKBP Pondok Indah Timur church  in Bekasi. Many believe that banning this organization is the best answer to solve the mess caused by their brutal action in the name of God. Meanwhile, others believe that banning them is against democracy and therefore they suggested that consistent law enforcement is the only answer.

They believe that consistent law enforcement will be able to protect minorities.

Most of those who agree that the FPI also has the right to exist failed to understand: This is Indonesia.

This is the country where the President did not care when the FPI attacked churches. This is the country where the President did nothing except offer lip service when the FPI rallied or attacked minorities.

The recent attack against HKBP Pondok Indah Timur church  in Bekasi makes me conclude that law enforcement in Indonesia cannot guarantee the safety of minorities.

The government doesn’t have the political will to guarantee the safety of minorities. The FPI has proven that they have their own strong principles that will not change.

Seeing their track record, I assume that they would do the same thing in the future.

The FPI should be banned. The government should reconsider their right of public expression.

This time, banning the FPI would ensure public order, to give minorities their right to feel safe in their own country, and to give the president of Indonesia a good lesson about how to treat his citizen.

Reney L. Mosal
Jakarta