Otherwise, why would some zealous attendees of the Al Hidayah mushola (prayer room) in Bekasi feel the need to defend them to the extreme by beating up and burning to death a man who they suspected was stealing them?

This is what happened to Muhammad Alzahra, aka Zoya, who repaired amplifiers and other electronic equipment. Accounts vary, but apparently he took three amplifiers for unclear reasons. When some people from the mushola accosted him, he ran — people assumed it was because he was intending to steal the amplifiers. Locals were fed up with theft, so they immediately assumed that was what Zoya was doing.

But as Bekasi Police head Asep Adi Saputra said, even if Zoya had been trying to steal, that would hardly be an excuse to kill him, let alone burn him alive. The brutality and heartlessness of the act sparked massive condemnation, especially considering that Zoya’s wife — now a widow — is six months pregnant. They already have a 4-year-old.

Obviously, horrific incidents like this call for action, but also reflection, especially as there has been a surge in vigilantism, specifically in “Islamic-inspired” vigilantism. We have also become accustomed to the use of “religious” movements, rallies, statements, etc. for political purposes, such as the incarceration of Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, which was a blatant perversion of the law — not to mention justice.

On the action front, the police have identified suspects. Besides condemnation, there has been an outpouring of sympathy and calls for financial support for Zubaidah, Zoya’s widow and the soon to be two offspring.

But as one of my friends said, it’s not just money she needs. Zubaidah herself wants justice — will she get it? And what about the trauma she suffered that could torment her a lifetime?

Popular

The fragile promise of pluralism, religious freedom in Southeast Asia

Coffee, gold push up inflation to 1.95 percent in April

Power begins to return after outage in Indonesia's Bali island