By: Rahmat Siregar )*
Radicalism is still a common threat. The reason is, people who are exposed to radical understandings can conduct intolerant practices to acts of terrorism that threaten peace.
When referring to the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), the word ‘Radical’ has a very strong meaning demanding change (law, government). Meanwhile, the word “Radicalism” according to KBBI is an understanding or sect that wants social and political change or reform by means of violence or drastic and extreme attitudes in the political stream.
Meanwhile, Sarlito Wirawan said in his book entitled Terrorism in Indonesia in Psychological Goals in 2012, that the word ‘radical’ is a form of affection or positive feelings towards anything that is extreme to its roots. Radical attitudes will encourage individual behavior to defend tooth and nail regarding a belief, belief, religion or ideology that they adhere to.
If we look at the radical meaning according to the two references, it is certainly not much different. Both of them mean that radicalism is synonymous with violence.
Religious radicalism itself has actually existed since the 16th-19th century AD. The Crusades are just a few of the stories of religious radicalism sowing at that time.
In Indonesia, the radical Islamic group that has attracted attention is the gang Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, who was responsible for the Bali Bombings I and II. Meanwhile, Islamic radical groups in the world that are in the spotlight are ISIS militants. Even now ISIS has spread to all corners of the world and has succeeded in controlling one city in a neighboring country, namely the city of Marawi in the Philippines. Of course this makes some people in the world perceive that radicalism has become part of Islam.
In fact, radicalism itself does not only cause divisions within Islam. Even in other religions, radicalism can lead to acts of mutually injuring fellow human beings.
In Indonesia, you may rarely hear of radical groups from Hinduism. Of course this is natural, because the majority of Hindus in Bali seem to live so harmoniously, peacefully and peacefully side by side with followers of other religions.
But something different happened in India, where radical movements from Hindu groups also occurred. The two opposing religions there are Hinduism and Islam. This is what made Pakistan, which is predominantly Muslim, decided to separate from India.
However, the separation of the two countries has not yet reduced the level of religious tension there. The proof is in 2015, a 50 year old Muslim man was killed by a Hindu group, this was due to rumors circulating that his family had saved and consumed beef at home.
It should also be noted that Hinduism is the dominant religion with 828 million followers or 80.5% of the population. While the rest are Muslim 13% and Christian as much as 2.3%.
Acts of violence also occurred against Christians in India who are a minority group. Of course the mass groups there are obliged to answer to the violence based on religion in India are radical groups or Hindu extremists in the mahabharata country.
What happened in India, of course, we can learn from the lesson that religious radicalism can emerge in majority groups who feel superior and can order minority groups to follow the rules, including following beliefs. Meanwhile, the minority groups, however, try to stick to their beliefs and do not want to be oppressed. Moreover, being forced to follow rules that are not necessarily in line with their religious beliefs.
Various historical books in Indonesia have written many records of conflicts that occurred in various regions in the name of ethnicity and religion. Like the conflict in Poso between Islam and Christianity.
Of course we agree that conflicts between religions do not want to occur, intolerance must be buried deep because Indonesia consists of various cultures, ethnicities and religions.
We also agree that radical actions or violence are not religious teachings, but the ego of individuals or groups who feel compelled to rule.
Living in the midst of conflict is of course a heavy torture, we all have a role to fortify ourselves from all radical understandings that spread on various platforms.
)* Active writer in the Press Circle and Cikini Students