What makes the 212 movement still significant?

Azis Anwar Fachrudin and Afifur Rochman Syarani
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PREMIUM

Yogyakarta / Fri, December 6, 2019 / 09:02 am

What makes the 212 movement still significant?

After all, previously available issues for mobilization have lost, so perhaps only blasphemy remains for them, at least for today, to test how significant the movement still is. (JP/Donny Fernando)

Although it is still capable of attracting tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of attendees, the 212 movement, born out of the anti-Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama rally on Dec. 2, 2016, is shrinking in terms of organizations and parties that make it up, and its significance depends on issues it can use to its advantage for consolidation. The movement’s latest reunion early this week reflects this. This year’s reunion was smaller than last year’s due to the retreat of some influential figures and organizations (some have now joined the government’s coalition) and the less powerful issues available for them to mobilize what they call ummah (Islamic society). Last year’s reunion was during the electoral campaign period and the theme was “defending tawhid”, referring to the burning of a flag carrying the symbol of onen...