Police respond to Ahok’s challenge to ban FPI

JAKARTA. In an evident response to Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s challenge to police to disband the notorious Islam Defenders Front (FPI), the National Police announced on Tuesday that they were preparing a recommendation to ban the organization.

Speaking to reporters at City Hall in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, Ahok revealed that the Jakarta-based FPI was not registered as a community organization with the city administrations’ National and Political Unity Office (Kesbangpol).

Ahok also claimed that he possessed a copy of the FPI’s permit issued by the Home Ministry that expired in December 2013. The Home Ministry has denied Ahok’s claim, arguing that the permit was valid until 2019.

Ahok said only the police had the ability to disband the violent group because even outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was powerless against the FPI.

“All community organizations that practice anarchy must be dissolved [...] moreover its permit from the Home Ministry has expired and it does not have a permit from the Jakarta Kesbangpol,” said Ahok, who will replace Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as Jakarta governor later this month.

Ahok is among very few government officials who have dared to take a confrontational approach toward the organization, as most public officials, including police generals, tend to avoid confronting any problems with the FPI.

 The FPI staged a protest on Saturday in front of the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) office in Central Jakarta to protest Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, being sworn in as Jakarta governor.

The protestors threw animal feces and rocks at police officers, injuring 10 officers. The police said FPI supporters had arrived at the scene with the stones and the feces.

 The protest turned violent and 22 FPI members were arrested and declared suspects. Seventeen of them were initially detained at the Jakarta Police headquarters in South Jakarta, including senior FPI member Shahabudin Anggawi. Four of them have since been released because they were minors, while FPI secretary-general Novel Bamu-min is still on the run, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said.

“We have sent a wanted notice to all the police offices under our jurisdiction. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Habib NV [Novel] should report to the police immediately,” Rikwanto told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie said the force would submit a recommendation to be taken into consideration by the Home Ministry when it assesses the possible disbandment of the FPI nationwide.

“We will start deliberating the recommendation after the court hands down verdicts on the suspects [members of FPI Jakarta branch]. The rulings will be taken into consideration when compiling the recommendation,” he said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Separately, Home Ministry spokesman Dodi Riatmadji acknowledged the FPI’s violent protest last week and said the ministry would evaluate the police’s recommendation, but added that dissolving a community organization required a long process. (Dewanti A. Wardhani and Yuliasri Perdani)