Ain’t Just Ahok – More Indonesian Dissenters Behind Bars!

While the strange spectacle of a 21st Century ‘blasphemy trial’ rumbles on in Jakarta, with the city’s Christian Governor Ahok facing a possible five year sentence for a humorous quip about a Koranic verse – yes, seriously!..

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Governor Ahok

“We encourage the government to process the death penalty for Ahok as soon as possible,” said Rizieq. 

Good Muslims Speak Up For Threatened Christian Governor 

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…there’s more bleak news for those of us who love Indonesia.

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In another Jakarta court, three men arrested for their involvement in the Gafatar movement, whose activities we have covered over recent years, most recently when we wrote the following…

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‘Movement of the Indonesian Dawn’

We posted on them last year, when some other cops collaborated with a mob of FPI thugs in another Indonesian province. https://rossrightangle.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/islamonazis-arrest-alleged-defamers-cops-collaborate/

Gafatar is abundantly law-abiding and has made every effort to comply with local laws.

“They have sought a permit to be able to conduct their group activities but I have not given it to them,” Johannis said.

Why not?

Johannis said their initial surveillance showed that the group was aimed at unifying differences in the country while mixing up several religious teachings.

Oh, well, we can’t have that sort of nonsense, can we?

Cops – “Islamist ‘Scholars’ Can Veto Religious Liberty” 

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…have been sent to prison because – wait for it  – they had “contradicted and offended Islamic values held by most Indonesian citizens.”   http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/03/07/gafatar-leaders-sentenced-to-years-in-prison-for-blasphemy.html

One is tempted to say, so what?

Indonesia’s current head of state, President Jokowi, often tells us how his country, ‘the largest Muslim democracy in the world,’ is ‘pluralist and tolerant.’

“Our constitutional system honors and guarantees diversity and pluralism and it is our task to preserve these..”

Pluralism Guaranteed by Constitution, says Jokowi

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Many people had hoped that his campaign slogan ‘A Mind-Set Revolution,’ would herald a break from the oppressive attitudes that prevailed under his predecessor President SBY…

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• SBY to ask the world to ban blasphemy | The Jakarta Post
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…who had actually suggested that Indonesia’s ‘blasphemy law’ be replicated WORLDWIDE!

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Among other considerations, the court noted that prayers were not obligatory in the belief of the Gafatar movement, while the religion’s holy book said prayers were obligatory.

So?

No dissent from Islamic dogma allowed?

And the court’s other excuse for jailing these harmless men?

The judges also pointed to local rejection of the Gafatar movement’s activities in a settlement they had established in Mempawah, Central Kalimantan, as evidence that their belief was disturbing to other people.  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/03/07/gafatar-leaders-sentenced-to-years-in-prison-for-blasphemy.html

So what, again?

If some people get ‘disturbed’ because they hear opinions different from their own, those ‘disturbed’ would be well advised to grow up – sit down with Gafatar to debate these issues, or better still –

MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS!

But minding one’s own business, in matters of religious liberty, is a concept foreign to the outfit which needs to be recognised as the driving force behind the slither into a Dark Age.

Yup, you guessed it. Not a government department at all!

The power to veto religious liberty lies, in this ‘tolerant pluralist’ land, with the Islamist self-styled ‘scholars’ of the MUI, the Indonesian Council of Ulemas!.

“If the East Nusa Tenggara MUI does not recognize this group, this Gafatar group, then the government will ask law enforcers to disband the organization and take their leaders to justice,” he said.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/east-nusa-tenggara-police-to-monitor-deviant-religious-group/567244

Yes, the same MUI whence these enlightened words emanated.

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• Ma’aruf
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It was MUI’s Deputy Chair, Ma’aruf, who kindly advised everyone that FGM is a ‘human right!’  

 https://rossrightangle.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/clitoral-clip-no-scraping-suffices-tell-us-islamist-scholars-why-do-it/

And here’s another of their ‘scholars’ talking. 

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Syamsul Maarif,  General Secretary of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Jakarta

“If the act of adultery is by a married person, then stoning is the sentence, while if unmarried, then it’s whipping,” he said.
 http://www.suarapembaruan.com/home/mui-dukung-pelaku-kumpul-kebo-dipidanakan/32705

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God Save Indonesia from Islamist intolerance!

Indonesia – Shariah Fanatics Howl for Blood