In Indonesia, where the practices of a minority sect of Islam called the Ahmadiyah have enraged hardline Muslims, in 2008 a Government decree banned the Ahmadiyah spreading their faith, since then attacks against them have increased ten fold and as David o’Shea found, the rift has recently turned deadly with a number of Ahmadiyah being murdered by a fundamentalist mob. This story contains graphic images of violence.
REPORTER: David O'Shea
Islamic hardliners take to the streets of the Indonesia capital calling for a revolution if the Government doesn't listen to their demand.
PROTESTER (Translation): SBY refuses to clamp down on illegal organisations protected by the government. So it is forbidden for Muslims to obey the government.
For years they wanted to shut down a religious community called Ahmadiyah, who they consider a deviant sect of Islam. But today they are condemning the Ahmadiyah to death.
PROTESTER (Translation): Kill them! Islam permits it! God is great! We will fight them. If the government won’t ban them, we will silence them ourselves.
This is no empty threat. Just over a week before this demonstration their foot soldiers took up the call. This disturbing footage shows a group of men leading a mob attack on Ahmadiyah members in a house in the south-west of Java. The Ahmadiyah members knew what was coming their way, and had stockpiled stones to throw at the mob. One of them even gets a punch in - one that he may regret throwing - but more on that later.
When it becomes clear how many attackers have descended on them, they make a run for it. 30-odd policeman on the scene are unwilling or unable to stop the assault. Some even appear relaxed. Behind the house three of the Ahmadiyah members are caught and savagely beaten to death.
At the funeral of the three victims, their families are left wondering how it could come to this. Ahmadiyah identify as Muslims, but controversially believe that an Indian who lived in the late 19th century was the Messiah that both Jesus and Mohammed promised would come. AhmadiyahIndonesia is estimated to have 200,000 followers, and has been here for 75 years. For most of that time they've lived in peace with their neighbours.
Indonesia's constitution champions unity and diverse city, and religious pluralism and tolerance, but this is the latest in a string of attacks over the last few years, and that reputation is now in tatters. At the Legal Aid Foundation in Jakarta, the still traumatised survivors of the attack are meeting their lawyers.
LAWYER (Translation): We have to find the people responsible, but this crime did not just happen spontaneously, there was someone behind it with links to those who played a major role. So we need to identify this as a premeditated crime against humanity.
One man explains how he survived the onslaught by hiding under some sheets of bamboo.
SURVIVOR (Translation): You could see my head and feet, the mob passed by close to me.
MUHAMMAD ISNUR, LAWYER (Translation): A mob was chasing you?
SURVIVOR (Translation): Yes. Thank God, they didn’t see me.
Their legal team is concerned that some of their clients will be charged for starting what is now being called a clash, for throwing the stones, and that punch.
MUHAMMAD ISNUR (Translation): They came to defend their property, to defend their right to live - now they are the suspects – they are the ones being charged, it’s absurd – the police are stupid.
REPORTER (Translation): Why has this happened?
MUHAMMAD ISNUR (Translation): Political pressure, of course.
The inner circle of Ahmadiyah Indonesia is acutely aware of the politics surrounding their faith. In the wake of the attack they've been summoned to a parliamentary hearing to explain themselves.
AHMADIYAH LEADER (Translation): This does not mean Muhammad is not the final prophet.
Their leader struggles to keep the attention of a largely unsympathetic audience. Some even openly mock their faith.
MAN, HEARING (Translation): Can anyone believe in a prophet after the Prophet? Do you believe he received revelations? Sorry, but this is the difference between us. The solution is to ban Ahmadiyah! Peace be upon you and God’s blessings.
AHMADIYAH LEADER (Translation): Whenever there is a problem, even if we are the ones attacked, they say we caused the clash – but it takes two to clash, we are being attacked everywhere.
The politicians are supposed to be here seeking a solution, and to be fair, some do try. But once again the loudest voices are those of the religious conservatives.
MAN, HEARING (Translation): But if there is a deviation, the solution is……amputation!
In the end, they have no alternative but to beg for mercy, and prepare themselves for the next attack.
AHMADIYAH LEADER (Translation): We are in the minority but we are being victimised – we behave peacefully, we can live peacefully with other people.
The religious affairs ministry is supposed to uphold religious freedom, but its own Minister has called for an outright ban.
BAHRUL HAYAT, RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER: The Muslims believe about this position.
And his Secretary-General insists it's Ahmadiyah who must change.
BAHRUL HAYAT: We give some option. We identify that there are some followers who can refine their position and become part and will be accepted by the Muslims.
REPORTER: As far as I can see, they don't want to change at all.
BAHRUL HAYAT: This is the problem.
REPORTER: So you do believe that Ahmadiyah are committing blasphemy?
BAHRUL HAYAT: All the Muslim in Indonesia sees that there is a source of blasphemy.
PROTESTER (Translation): Muslims say Ahmadiyah must be banned, rooted out completely. God is great!
Demonstrators are now moving to the National Human Rights Commission, and accuse them of paying attention to the Ahmadi side of the story, and not respecting the views of the majority of Muslims here.
PROTESTER (Translation): We Muslims love peace, but if we are being hurt, if we are being harmed, what can we do but launch a jihad, brothers? We are in front of the heresy Defence Commission, why? The Human Rights Commission defends Ahmadiyah – so it must be banned. Do you agree?
CROWD (Translation): Agree!
As the delegation enters, I remind them that the commission has defended Muslims in past atrocities committed by the military.
CROWD (Translation): But defending Ahmadiyah is not right because it is fake – they are defending falsehood.
MUSLIM PROTESTER (Translation): You should take note of this injustice - Muslims whose religion has been falsified and defiled are the real victims. You should defend Muslims who are entitled to have their faith defended.
The commissioners listen politely. They know this group has powerful backers, and there's no easy way to explain that they are duty-bound to stand against human rights abuses in whatever form. Yenny Wahid is the daughter of the former Indonesia President Gus Dur, a tireless promoter of the moderate and tolerant Islam which most Indonesians practice. She says the way of the hardliners use violence in the way of Islam is unsettling for most people.
YENNY WAHID: The Government is always in a difficult position because they fear of offending Muslims, their fellow Muslims, and they are afraid of the intimidation and violence.
Now head of the political party her father formed, she said the current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is too timid and not doing nearly enough to stop the escalation of violence against minorities.
REPORTER: What is he worried about?
YENNY WAHID: That's also my question, that’s also my question. I don't know, really, I don't know, because he has every right based on the constitution - again, he has obligation to uphold the constitution, not only, but protected by the constitution against any group deemed to disrupt the public order. So I don't know. I don't know why he's not taking firmer stands.
Bolder by the day, the hardliners have called another anti – Ahmadiyah demonstration, this time marching on the presidential palace and surprisingly the gates are thrown open for them and they gain access to key government ministers. Andreas Harsono from Human Rights Watch remains pessimistic about the future for Ahmadiyah.
ANDREAS HARSONO, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Because the Government is bias, it's afraid, unwilling to take firm measures against the militants.
REPORTER: Because it would be perceived as being anti-Muslims?
ANDREAS HARSONO: Unfortunately, yes.
He says the shaky Coalition the President formed with Islamist parties leaves him with his hands tied.
ANDREAS HARSONO: I think he has a lot of interest in keeping these militants inside his Coalition.
Recent reports indicate that several retired generals are backing the hardliners, and using the Ahmadiyah issue to try to topple the President - one explanation for their recent bravado.
MUSLIM PROTESTER (Translation): All Muslims hold to the principle, if Ahmadiyah isn’t banned there will be revolution. If Egypt can do it, so can we.
Complicating matters further is yet another terrorism trial for Indonesia's celebrity cleric Abu Bakar Ba'ashir, who remains an inspiration to his supporters. Just getting past them at the front gate of the court is an ordeal in itself. From the holding cells Abu Bakar Ba'ashir inserts himself into the debate.
ABU BAKAR BA’ASHIR (Translation): Ban it, if the government can’t do that, get rid of it. Why? Because Ahmadiyah was created by the English to destroy Islam - Ahmadiyah’s based in England and funded by English infidels.
REPORTER (Translation): But they have been here for 70 years?
ABU BAKAR BA’ASHIR (Translation): It is the Muslims’ fault, they have been too lenient even though Ahmadiyah is worse than communism. Communists say they are infidels, but these infidels say they are Muslims.
He says the revisionist sect is part of an international conspiracy to split Islam. With such a high-level of indifference to the rising level of violence of Ahmadiyah, other minorities are getting worried.
ANDREAS HARSONO: They are very concerned, extremely concerned right now because Ahmadiyah is only, mainly, among the first, and next maybe there's Shia, maybe the Bahari. It is a minority sect within Islam, and then the Buddhists, and then the Chinese and then the Christian, and so the minorities inside Indonesia a very, very concerned.
The survivors of the gruesome mob attack in February understand that concern all too well. They've been in hiding after being warned that as witnesses to the crime, their lives are in danger. Their lawyers say Indonesia is failing to uphold it’s own constitution and protect its citizens.
MUHAMMAD ISNUR (Translation): The state should be firm, it should defend individuals and the country, it should not – just because someone claims to be acting for Islam or Muslims – they have no right to mistreat others. Our country is law abiding, not barbaric.
Reporter/Camera
DAVID O’SHEA
Producer
ASHLEY SMITH
Researcher
MELANIE MORRISON
Fixer
KANTHI ANDAYANI
Research/Second Camera
FERRY PUTRA NEGRI
Editor
MICAH MCGOWN
Translation/Subtitling
ROBYN FALLICK
Original Music composed by
VICKI HANSEN
Footage Courtesy of Human Rights Watch
24th April 2011