ISIS MUST NOT EXIST IN INDONESIA by Fardah

    Jakarta, Aug 5 (Antara) - As news reports of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)'s cruelty, such as beheadings and crucifixions, have been spreading across the world, the Indonesian government has condemned the organization.

        Indonesia's concern has increased further following a video footage uploaded on the social media network, YouTube, showing an ISIS member, who happens to be an Indonesian citizen, calling on fellow countrymen to join ISIS.

        ISIS is a threat to the Middle East and must not be allowed to enter nor exist in Indonesia, Chief of the Constitutional Court (MK) Hamdan Zoelva stated.

        "ISIS must not be permitted to develop (in Indonesia), because the organization will disturb security and order, and threaten the Unitary Republic of Indonesia," Zoelva said in Jakarta, on Tuesday.

         Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto earlier said Indonesia had rejected the propagation of ISIS's ideology in the country because it runs contrary to "Pancasila."
    "Let us not be easily incited and influenced to embrace the ISIS/IS ideology," Djoko Suyanto appealed to the people.

        He noted that every effort to develop the ideology must be prevented, and Indonesia must not be allowed to become the location for ISIS development.

         ISIS is not religious but an ideological issue, he added.

         "The government and the state condemn and will not allow the ideology of ISIS, now named as IS (Islamic State), to develop in Indonesia because it runs in opposition to the state ideology of Pancasila and the principle of unity in diversity under the Unitary State of Indonesia (NKRI)," the chief security minister stated.
    Pancasila stresses on five principles: divinity of God, just and civilized humanity, unity of Indonesia, democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations amongst representatives, and social justice for every citizen of Indonesia.

         The government has planned some measures for preventing the establishment of a formal representation of ISIS/IS in the country, he noted.

         He expressed hope that all components of the community will prevent the propagation of the ISIS/IS ideology in Indonesia.

        The Ministry of Religious Affairs, along with religious figures, will conduct an enlightenment program for the public with regard to preventing the propagation of this ideology, he announced.

        The Ministry of Communications and Informatics, meanwhile, has said it will block access to the ISIS/IS video footage on social media sites such as YouTube.

        The foreign affairs ministry as the leading sector, meanwhile, along with the police, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), and the National Agency for Terrorism Prevention (BNPT), will act as a "clearing house" for citizens wishing to go to conflict regions in the Middle East and South Asia, he noted.

        Various Islamic mass organizations in Indonesia disagree with ISIS ideology, according to Djoko Suyanto.

        Even terrorist prisoner Abu Bakar Baasyir had denied supporting the ISIS when questioned by the police, despite the existence of his letter, which had stated his support to the ISIS, he pointed out.

        Djoko Suyanto assured that the activities and movements of ISIS since its emergence has been monitored by various concerned institutions and ministries including security agencies.

        Another strong statement was voiced by Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Moeldoko who called against allowing the ISIS ideology to develop in Indonesia.

        He said the presence of the ISIS ideology can pose a threat to Indonesians, as it could result in division among the people.

        Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin had earlier remarked that the ISIS organization is a movement with a radical ideology that uses terror and violence as a means to achieve its goals.

        He noted that the ISIS ideology runs against Pancasila, and it has declared Pancasila as a "thogut" (idol) that should be dealt with force.

        "The ISIS is already off-limits. Swearing and pledging allegiance to a foreign country or part of a foreign country will result in revocation of citizenship, and in view of that, we must support the law enforcers to work professionally to deal with such organizations," he stressed.

         The National Agency for Terrorism Prevention (BNPB) has stated that any citizen supporting ISIS will face criminal charges, in line with Article 33 of Law No. 12 of 2006 regarding Indonesian citizenship.

          The law states that radical and terrorist groups including ISIS are serious threats to Indonesia, and in view of that, it has called on all elements to be on alert for possible presence of radical ideologies like the one implemented by ISIS and for its eradication.

         A number of Indonesian religion and faith leaders have also expressed their rejection of the existence of ISIS, as it is against the unitary state of Indonesia.

         "We have been studying religion and faith since we were small children. We are against ISIS in Indonesia," chairman of the presidium of the Central Executive Board of the organization of Faiths in One and Only God, Suprih Suhartono, said recently.  
   Suprih has appealed to the government to crack down on ISIS before it develops and become stronger in Indonesia.

        Buddhist and Christian leaders have also strongly called for preventing the presence of ISIS in the country.

        "I reject ISIS as, whatever the reason is, God has never ordered people to commit murder. On the contrary, He wants people to love each other," Christian clergyman Palty Panjaitan said.***1***
(F001/INE)