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The government and ulema
The animosity between some conservative ulema and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who had endorsed Ahok’s reelection, continues to this day, albeit at a much lower scale.
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Muslims join the Tahajud prayer to attend the 212 reunion at the National Monument, Central Jakarta, Dec. 2, 2019. (JP/Donny Fernando)
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ll is clearly not well in the relations between the government and ulema, or at least with some ulema. This cannot be good for the predominantly Muslim nation. Prolonged tensions between the government and ulema sow confusion among umat (Muslim faithful) with dangerous polarizing effects. Citizens should not be forced to choose between following either the government or their religious leaders.
Such tensions always make their presence felt around this time of the year. And 2021 is no exception.
The 212 Movement, led by conservative ulema, had planned to hold its reunion on Dec. 2, to mark its launch on the same day in 2016 when they staged one of the biggest protests seen in Jakarta in nearly two decades.
That protest, to oppose the reelection of then-Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, saw an estimated turnout of 2 million people, a reminder of the power and influence that ulema had over the nation. Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, whom the ulema had accused of blasphemy, not only lost the election, but also went to jail for blasphemy.
This week, the Jakarta administration and police declined permission to the 212 Movement to hold a commemorative meeting in the expansive National Monument (Monas) square, where the 2016 protests took place, or anywhere in Jakarta for that matter. The organizers said they planned to move their meeting to a grand mosque in Sentul, just outside Jakarta, on Thursday.
The animosity between some conservative ulema and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who had endorsed Ahok’s reelection, continues to this day, albeit at a much lower scale.
Jokowi has done his work to appease the conservative ulema by bringing some of them into his government.
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin was an important protagonist of the 212 Movement and he even testified in court against Ahok in the blasphemy trial. Since his election to the number two job in 2019, Ma’ruf has distanced himself from the movement and swayed many other ulema to support the government. Nahdlatul Ulama, many of whose members joined the 2016 protests, is also now a staunch supporter of the Jokowi government.
The 212 Movement has also lost much of its sting with the jailing of Riziek Shihab, a firebrand cleric critical of Jokowi, on charges of violating COVID-19 health protocols. The Islam Defenders Front (FPI), which he launched and chaired, has been declared illegal.
Indonesia is not an Islamic state, but it is wrong for the government to alienate ulema. Given their power and influence, ulema and leaders of other faiths have played a big role in the fight against COVID-19, convincing people to follow the health protocols and get vaccinated.
It is equally wrong, however, for the government to share power with ulema. We have seen examples of how religious leaders quickly become intoxicated with power once they have it. Their strength is in carrying the moral message. Politics is not their forte.
The government and ulema should be working together rather than fighting against one another, for the well-being of the nation. There is no better time than now for the two to make peace once and for all, and help end the polarization of the nation.
