Opinion: The Defamation of Religion

[Picture Source: Humanrightshouse.org]

A liberal lecturer talked in front of the students in the class. He said, "Why do Moslems get angry when an army trampled down and peed on an Al-Qur'an? Isn't it only a collection of papers? While what have been stated was still in Lauhul Mahfuzh so why do Moslems get angry?" Then, a creative student approached the lecturer while bringing a book created by the lecturer. He said, "Your book is really cool and you analyze it perfectly". Suddenly, he dropped the book and spit on it. The lecturer got angry and tried to hit him. Fortunately, the creative student can tackle it and said, "Why do you get angry? Isn't it only a collection of papers? While the idea is still in your head since you are the one who created it. The lecturer got ashamed and directly got out from the class. 

A belief is also the part of an identity. This is our instinct when somebody insults our belief or our identity. Of course, we will get angry and so do you when somebody insults your belief or identity. You do get angry, don't you? So, it's not impossible not to get angry unless you don't have the sense of belongings of the belief or the identity. If you don't get angry, your identity is needed to be questioned. 

The defamation of religion done by the Governor of Jakarta toward Islam in 2016, I do get angry as a Moslem. However, the government seemed to keep quite whereas I live in a country that enforces the law. It has been stated in the law that the defamation of religion is wrong, so the offender has to be punished, like what has happened in Bali, a Christian woman insulted Hindu offerings, so she was jailed in Bali for 14 months in 2013 [1]. 

Then, a number of Moslems from around of Indonesia did a demonstration toward the government in Jakarta to enforce the law and to process the offender which the peak of the demonstration occurred on Friday, November, 4th 2016. They intended to meet the President, to deliver their aspiration. Unfortunately, the President was not in the place [2]. 

I don't know why it looked like the President refused to meet them. Whatever the reason was, only the president his own self that knew the reason. Just like other Moslems felt, I did want the President to greet and listen to the Moslems' aspiration since some of them had come from really far away to be able to unite with other Moslems in Jakarta. I hope the representative from the government could accept the aspiration well and arranged another step to process it. 

Everybody knew there is still something wrong in law enforcement in Indonesia. Sometimes they do it well toward an offender that doesn't have the power like an old woman (63 yo) proven to steal woods and was jailed for about 1 year and 3 months [3]. However, it seems difficult to sentence a corruptor who has stolen so much money from the government since the corruptor still has a power or the corruptor is successfully punished but the punishment may seem easy, not as heavy as his criminal act. So many factors that I don't know so the law enforcement in Indonesia still looked injustice in my opinion. 

If the government can't process the defamation of religion done by the offender while so many demonstrators have already delivered their aspiration toward the government to enforce the law, I just can accept it for what it is since I don't have the power. It is the decision from the government, they may have already had the reasons why it should not be processed by the law. If that so, just make it transparent and explain to the people especially to the Moslems all of the reasons why the government has made the decision like that. Make the people understand so the people can accept it with a big heart.

But if the reasons will seem like nonsense which the government tries everything to protect the offender in order to make the offender be called off about the punishments, even though de jure the offender may be proven guilty, I can not accept it. But by seeing the situation what just happened until these days, we can not look forward more to the law enforcement in Indonesia. At least, the Moslems have gathered to deliver the aspiration. Once again, Indonesia still needs to learn more how to enforce the law. 

For this time, as a Moslem, I need to accept for what it is and have a big hearted. Just understand the situation and try to forgive the offender. Every Moslem has already known that it's not good to get angry, if you get angry, it's okay but Islam asked the Moslems not to get angry over 3 days. Just learn to forgive. Forget about the law enforcement since Indonesia still need to learn about it to make all the people feel justice. For me, until now, it's okay to feel injustice since I can do nothing besides trying to forgive.

I hope in the future, the government of Indonesia can be more mature and be able to enforce the law better. Absolutely, I hope in the future, nobody else insults someone's belief or identity. Please, be mature and respect each other. If you want to be respected, you need to respect others.  

References:

[1] Jakarta Informer. (2013). Christian Woman Jailed in Bali for Insulting Hindu Offerings. [Website].

[2] Kompas. (2016). Demo 4 November. [Website].

[3] Liputan 6. (2015). Nenek Asyani Terdakwa Pencuri Kayu Divonis 1 Tahun Penjara. [Website].