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Ahok will face opposition until removed from election or imprisoned: Researcher
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Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama (center) enters the courtroom prior to the start of his trial at North Jakarta District Court in Jakarta on Dec. 13. Ahok is on trial accused of blasphemy following his remark about a passage in the Quran that could be interpreted as prohibiting Muslims from accepting non-Muslims as leaders. (AP/Tatan Syuflana, Pool)
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social researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Ahmad Najib Burhani, says opposition to Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja, who has been charged with blasphemy, is not likely to recede until he is imprisoned or removed from the 2017 gubernatorial election.
“Some groups will not stop their opposition until he loses the election or is put in prison. These groups have their own agenda, namely to regain power at the national level,” Ahmad said after a discussion in Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Monday.
He further said several groups had used Ahok’s case to obtain hegemony in the field of religion, ideology, politics or economy.
Citing an example, the analyst said, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), had tried to show its domination of the religious field through the case.
(Read also: Ahok's second hearing to remain at North Jakarta District Court: Police)
“We can recognize parties, which have taken advantage of this case by looking at people who have participated in two recent large rallies. Some people involved in the rallies have declared their support for the two other [Jakarta gubernatorial] candidates,” Ahmad said. He was referring to the mass protests organized by Islamic organizations against Ahok on Nov. 4 and Dec.2.
Ahmad said the way authorities settled Ahok’s blasphemy case would be detrimental to Indonesia’s democracy because it would show how people could still exploit religious issues for political gains in the future.
Therefore, all civil and religious organizations in the country needed to hold a dialogue to talk and strengthen the concept of the nation, he added. (ebf)
