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Students report SBY over alleged hate speech preceding anti-Ahok rally
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The power of words -- Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono speaks at a press conference at his residence in Puri Cikeas, Bogor, West Java, on Nov. 2. (Antara/Yulius Satria Wijaya)
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lumni of the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) have filed a report with the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) against former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) over alleged hate speech.
The group of HMI alumni accused Yudhoyono of violating Article 160 of the Criminal Code on provocation and Article 16 of the 2008 law on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination in a speech earlier this month, which is believed to have encouraged the massive demonstration against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama last Friday.
"[Yudhoyono] seemed to promote peace at the beginning of his speech, but it eventually included a discriminative message against a certain ethnic group," the coordinator of the student group, Mustaghfirien, told the press at Bareskrim headquarters on Thursday.
He cited parts of Yudhoyono's speech, in which the former president allegedly asked all Muslims to stage the rally if demands to prosecute Ahok were not fulfilled.
"Yudhoyono stated that one person [Ahok] should not lock up the expectations of 200 million Indonesians. Such a statement is political," Mustaghfirien added, emphasizing that Yudhoyono's remarks were seen as an attempt to attack Ahok in favor of his son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, who is running against the non-active governor in the Jakarta gubernatorial election scheduled for February next year.
Yudhoyono drew nationwide attention when delivering the speech at his private residence in Cikeas, West Java, two days before Friday’s mass rally, which was initiated by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI). Many believe Yudhoyono masterminded the anti-Ahok rally. (dmr)
