It was just a short time ago that the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and its leader Habib Rizieq were at the forefront of several massive protests in Jakarta asking for the imprisonment of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. How quickly things change. Today, thousands of protesters from various organizations rallied in Bandung to call for FPI to be disbanded and for Rizieq to be imprisoned.
Members of GMBI and other organizations chant “Bubarkan FPI” (Disband FPI) at a rally in Bandung this morning.
The protests took place exactly one week after Rizieq was summoned to West Java Police Headquarters in Bandung to be questioned over a report, filed by Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, that the FPI leader had insulted the state ideology of Pancasila and her father (and Indonesia’s founding father) Sukarno.
Rizieq’s was met at the police station was met by hundreds of members of FPI, as well as members of the Indonesia General Society Movement (GMBI), who were there to protest Rizieq for causing unrest and threatening national unity. FPI and GMBI members clashed in front of the police station, which led to GMBI’s office being burned to the ground early the next day, allegedly by FPI “sympathizers”.
FPI then held a protest in front of National Police Headquarters in Jakarta on Monday to demand the sacking of West Java Police Chief Anton Charliyan for his association with GMBI, during which Rizieq made numerous legal threats to other police officials and politicians including former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Today’s demonstrations were led by GMBI but also included groups including Laskar Garuda, Defenders of Homeland Unity (Pekat), the Interfaith Forum of West Java and student activists.
Two of the speakers at the rally were Sukmawati Sukarnoputri and one of her siblings, Toto Suryawan. In her speech, Sukmawati urged residents of West Java and citizens in general “to maintain Pancasila and the Unitary Republic of Indonesia”.
West Java Police have indicated that they may be close to naming Rizieq a suspect in the case of his alleged insulting of Pancasila and Sukarno.
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