Our mistake born as minority

Actions from various mass organizations held a Ust. Abdul Somad defense in Banda Aceh City, Aceh,
Friday, August 23, 2019. (Photo: Tagar/Muhammad Fadhil)

By: Benardo Sinambela

“[..] you don’t mess with us, wake up you are minority”

These days the sentences are so populer in social media. There are many people write this comment in their social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Terminology “majority-minority” become so populer in Indonesia. First when the General Election happens and second when there is problem with religion or religion figure.

When other country outside Indonesia have already spoken about humanity, but it’s different in our country that we loved Indonesia. People in Indonesia still speak about the privilige of being majority and the minority must obey the majority and the minoriy should not demand anything though it is about the country law.

Actually, at the beginning i dont like this terminology, because for me that is part of the discrimnination attitude. That formed in to narration to weaken certain group. That is clear that the polarisation like this is so far away from the spirit of humanity.

Seven house of worship ,two vihara and five temple were burned down in just few hours by  certain group of people in Tanjung Balai, Sumatera Utara – Indonesia. The reason is Meliana or so we called Chinese people in Indonesia tell about her complain when the loud speaker of the Mosque in front of her home was too loud.

After that, Meliana sentenced by the court guilty for 18 month and deemed to prison because religion mockery according to Indonesian law verse 156a (156a KUHP).

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (BTP) or known as Ahok have been demonsrated by group of people so that the court punish him because of religion mockery and sentence for 2 years in jail because of his speech that connected with the verse from quran Almaidah 51 in Pramuka island, DKI Jakarta.

From 2017-2018, International Amnesty have recorded there are 17 people in Indonesia that has been punished for religion mockery or break the law article 156a KUHP. There are 4 case in Sumatera island, 9 case in Java island, 1 case in Kalimantan, 1 case in in Nusa Tenggara Timur, 1 case in Bali island and 1 case in Papua. If we look at the spreading Map, case about religion mockery concentrated in Java Island and Sumatera.

Mockery to Islam and Moeslem figure have the biggest number, according to that case there are also connected with PKI (communist party) issue, Gafatar and false religion according to Indonesian law. The victim about this case also come from many background and profesion, there are from civil society and military society.

According to the fact and short data above, it is happen not by accident that thoose people are minority and punished or sentenced guilty in jail by the majority that is Islam religion. Until this poin, at least the Indonesian article 156a about religion mockery habe been used to sentence people to jail.

The next quesion is, how about the law progress of Ustadz Abdul Somad Batubara that until now. He has been reported to Police Department about his mockery to Christian and Catholic religion according to his speech about cross of the Christ.

In the case of UAS(ustadz abdul somad), Christian and Catholic people in Indonesia demand an apogize, but it seems that UAS do not want to apologize because he said it based on his faith in Islam.

As a Christian, i totally understand the lesson and emotional feeling of Christian people about love that has been taught by Jesus Christ.  In Christianity dogma, Cross is the symbol of redemption, hope and free from sins because already redempt by the blood of Christ that flows because of his love to Human his Creation.

Before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, cross have been asummed as symbol of death, or punishment to the people that consider guilty  or criminal. After the crucifixion cross became the simbol of redemption, as reminder to the people that Jesus has overcome death.

If we look carefully to the clip in the video that has been spreaded in social media, at least there are two note that can release UAS from his sentence. It is about the word “[...] so called like this : Hallelujah” and body gesture like he have been crucified with word out of his mouth like this “[...] his head lean to the right or left?” and every one start to laugh. It is happen in one of his speech or in Islam in Indonesia known as “pengajian”.

This word above are clearly direct to Christian people and Catholic, because these two religion use the word “Hallelujah” that come from Hebrew language “Hallelu” that means “to worship/to say grace” and word ”Yah” means “God”. If the two word combined it means “praise to the Lord”. According to that meaning, UAS explanation about the word “Hallelujah” in his video are clearly wrong and provocative, adding by his gesture to explain become a joke to his people that listen  his speech.

As we know, that loving and forgiving has been the responsibility of the follower of the Christ. This is the standart behaviour from the people whom admit to follow Christ. For that, there is no need to say I’m sorry , because  whom they labeled Minority has already forgiving.

But, there is important thing that we cannot ignore as citizens, the law and the civil society are ruled by law that has been agreed together.

The law must be upheld even the sky is falling. If we don’t obey the law, this country will fail as the Government. The Law exist to make sure that every people have the same right in this country. The Government must act fair and square.

If Meliana and Ahok case make the Moslem do demonstration because they feel insulted . i am sure this UAS case will make his follower angry for the reason to defend their religion figure (Ulama).

The other side that insterested to observe, Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) the community of Islam figure act wisely with persuasive approach that has been done to many Christian figure and to the people who report UAS to the Police.

There are so many offer from MUI to resolve this conflict, one of them is to wihtdraw the report from Police, so that the law progress is stop.  But we must remember , that in the other mockery case. MUI don’t act the same way, even the law enforcer often use MUI word to sentence the people who mock their relligion.

Through the law is the most correct and wisdom way of citizens seeking justice, not use presure with mass mobilization and depend on who’s majority and who’s minority, because we live in Indonesia that uphold Law above all.

Today , with the case of UAS, Indonesia the country that we loved must show justice and law as the commander in chief in every legas problems. So that every single citizen have the same right and responsibility in the eyes of Law without looking the colour of the skin, ethnic group, religon or race.

This country must make sure that there will be no son and daughter of Indonesian Motherland crying because of his/her right to get justice is gone, just because his/her born was born as minority and the law is not upheld for minority, everybody is equal before the law.

Every citizens must realize though they are majority or they are not, that the progress and supremacy of law must be upheld and respected for the benefit of this Nation.

I hope there will be no intervention to the law and mass mobilization and also there will be no court decision based on subjective consideration and politic pressure so that the weak, the poor and the minority can find justice in this country. Through this i want attention from every single International citizen in the world to campaign to revoke the mockery of religion law Indonesia. Because this law have a potential to discriminate minority in Indonesia.

Note: This article has been published in the Indonesian version in the Tagar.ID media with the title "Kesalahan Kami, Terlahir Sebagai Minoritas"

*Head of Sector Media, Comunication and Information National Executive Committee Indonesian Student Christian Movement (GMKI)