Indonesian President Joko Widodo has warned his nation’s “devout Muslims not to use violence to enforce a fatwa handed down by the nation’s Islamic council in 2016 against Christmas celebrations, urging tolerance for other faiths. Police also announced that authorities had green-lighted a plan to deploy nearly 200,000 officers nationwide to protect Christmas celebrations and displays.”
“For at least 20 years, every December, Indonesian Muslims have been reminded of the fatwa by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) that calls it haram for Muslims to greet Christians with the words ‘Merry Christmas’ during the holiday season.”
Although Joko Widodo has reportedly warned that the Indonesian “constitution guarantees the freedom of religious belief,” Indonesia is turning toward Sharia. “Born-again” Muslims have been driving social changes, encouraging Muslim-targeted housing, Sharia banking and in general shifting the country’s economy in order to ground it in “conservative Islam.” Religious freedoms in Indonesia are dwindling.
And as this article shows, non-Muslims must live with the constant threat of violence.
“Indonesia to Deploy 200,000 Police to Defend Christmas from Jihad,” by Frances Martel, Breitbart, December 18, 2019:
President Joko Widodo of Indonesia warned the nation’s devout Muslims on Tuesday not to use violence to enforce a fatwa handed down by the nation’s Islamic council in 2016 against Christmas celebrations, urging tolerance for other faiths.
Police also announced that authorities had green-lighted a plan to deploy nearly 200,000 officers nationwide to protect Christmas celebrations and displays.
While governed by a president who presents himself as moderate and friendly to the West, Indonesia has seen an increase in Islamic intolerance in the last decade, particularly radical Islamic violence at the hands of jihadists. Local Muslims have also increasingly opposed being governed by those of other faiths, notably leading to a blasphemy trial against a previously beloved Jakarta politician after 150,000 Muslims took the streets condemning remarks he made that Muslim politicians were misreading the Quran purposely to hurt his campaign for governor. Indonesia has also experienced the growing prevalence of traditional Islamic legal punishments like public whipping for haram sexual activity.
Suspected Islamists have also attacked cemeteries and desecrated Christian tombs in the past year.
Following the fall of the Islamic State “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria, governments in Southeast Asia have also increasingly faced jihadist attacks by returning terrorists and jihadists fleeing the war zones of the Middle East, including a failed assassination attempt against Widodo’s security minister. Widido’s government has responded by sentencing preachers associated with the organization harshly, including handing down one death sentence to a cleric preaching violence in the country.
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim country, though it hosts some regions, like eastern Papua, which are Christian-majority.
Widodo reportedly warned against “sweeping” in particular, an activity that the Asian outlet Coconuts describes as “illegal raids” on businesses exhibiting lively Christmas displays as a way of enforcing the fatwa, which carries no legitimate legal weight in Indonesia.
“In this country, our constitution guarantees the freedom of religious belief,” Widodo reportedly warned, announcing that police had explicit orders to “sternly” shut down any mob activities against Christmas and Christian celebrations.
National Police spokesman Argo Yuwono followed up Widodo’s remarks by announcing that the police force has assigned 192,000 officers to specially protect civilians during Christmas and the New Year holiday, which also often comes under Islamist attack. Yuwono suggested police had reason to believe that jihadists were planning attacks this year against non-Muslims, particularly Christians, and Muslims comfortable with other religions. The police will deploy 10,000 units in Jakarta alone. The total, Channel News Asia noted, is about 30,000 more officers than authorities believed were necessary to protect the country on Christmas and New Year’s last year.
“Based on intelligence data, there are potential risks … so we’re taking preventive measures but we are also ready to take proactive action,” Yuwono said. Other officials hinted that among the potential terrorist plots concocted are the burning down of churches during Christmas, not just shopping mall attacks against Christmas decor….
Anjuli Pandavar says
some religion, some peace.
SAFI says
Coming to Europe…soon
Michael Copeland says
The New Normal.
mortimer says
Muslims hate Christmas more than other Christian festivals, because it celebrates the Incarnation of God in Jesus … a great blasphemy in Islam.
The joy of Christmas contrasts with the glumness of Islam and they cannot bear the unfavorable contrast.
Adam says
Here in Indonesia it’s the norm for as long as I can remember, it’s routine at this point for police officers to stand guard in front of the church during christmas times. Just today they actually went as far as conducting surprise search of our belongings as safety measure
TruthWFree says
Jesus said in the eye witnessed Gospels that He is One with the Father. This was 600 years before the supposed allah god lies against Jesus divinity and death on the cross by a false prophet that had no witnesses to his supposed revelations. Muslims need to know they are following a fraud, Satan’s religion after all my study since 9/11/2001.
PRCS says
Hope they’re not sending Muslim troops.
The sight of Christmas events could cause them to engage in a personal, spriritual struggle (jihad).
Jack says
This article alone is a perfect example what Islam is. I still can’t understand how any intelligent person living in the west would still believe the religion of peace stuff. Islam is the most intolerant religion there is. It’s only brings suffering to the muslims and non muslims. Always did always will. It’s has not changed since the Middle Ages. We have enough proof for it based on history.
gravenimage says
And things are worse in some parts of Indonesia:
“Indonesia: Christians banned from Christmas home celebrations in West Sumatra”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2019/12/indonesia-christians-banned-from-christmas-home-celebrations-in-west-sumatra
Craig says
This is why the free world needs to #banislam #islamfreeworld #islamfreeindia
Michael Pillon says
Notice that the genocidally-minded in this case are not called ‘misunderstanders of Islam’. They are simply referred to as ‘devout Muslims’. Chillingly telling, no?
gravenimage says
Indonesia to deploy 200,000 police to protect Christmas celebrations from Islamic jihad massacres
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has warned his nation’s “devout Muslims not to use violence to enforce a fatwa handed down by the nation’s Islamic council in 2016 against Christmas celebrations
……………..;.
Sadly, this Fatwa is perfectly Islamic. Under Shari’ah, Christians and other Infidels are not allowed to openly celebrate holidays.
I hope all Christians in Dar-al-Islam can stay safe this Christmas.