By: Raditya Rahman) *
In the effort to deal with the co-19 pandemic, the government also involved security forces such as the TNI, Polri and BIN. This seems to be an opportunity for “radical actors” who want to create interference, especially for the government. The actor wants to take advantage of the authorities’ apprehension to launch the action.
Intelligence and security observers Stansislaus Riyanta called on security forces, the TNI, Polri and BIN to remain vigilant and close space for radical groups that have the potential to make the national security situation not conducive when the government is still focused on handling the co-19 pandemic.
Stansilaus said, with the economic pressure and implementation of the PSBB that had made the closure of places of worship such as mosques. Of course this will be an issue fried by certain actors with the aim of undermining public confidence in government policy.
The security disturbance apparently occurred last April, when the East Indonesian Mujahidin group carried out an act of terror against police officers in Poso.
Elsewhere, in early June, attacks from radical groups also targeted the South Daha Police Station, South Kalimantan. This attack shows that terrorist groups used vulnerabilities during the co-19 pandemic to attack the police.
While in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, the group carrying the Khilafah also distributed pamphlets containing the ideology of the Khilafah. Though it is clear that the ideology of the Khilafah is contrary to the ideology of Pancasila.
Various threats must be investigated and prevented from happening again. Moreover, this group always considers that all government policies are not in accordance with the Shari'a. From this, radical narratives emerge which embellish every gust of content made by radicals.
Especially during the co-19 pandemic, this situation also forced people to work and study online, so that this became a greater opportunity for terrorist groups to intensify their propaganda which was often conveyed through social media.
National Police Commissioner Boy Rafli Amar, acknowledged that the co-19 pandemic increasingly activated terrorist groups. This is supported by data from the National Police 88 Densus that throughout 2009, Detachment 88 succeeded in capturing 300 terrorist suspects, while in 2020 until July, the number of terrorist suspects captured had reached 100 people.
Head of the Organization and Organizational Relations Division (Garhubanlog) Central Committee of Islamic Unity (PP Persis) M Faisal Nursyamsi said, the community must be aware of the radicalism virus.
He said that the co-19 pandemic was not just a health problem, but its social impact also led to social and cultural ills.
He also agreed with the term radicalism virus which must remain vigilant by the public, because this virus is quietly continuing to try to find a loophole to undermine the survival of the Indonesian nation with the breath of Pancasila.
Of course the radicalism virus that tries to radicalize people during a pandemic should not be silenced, because such viruses are also dangerous for the survival of the Indonesian people, especially if they affect human thinking.
If the corona virus can be eradicated with a vaccine, then we need to implant a vaccine so that it is not easily exposed to radical understanding, the vaccine is called the Islamic value of rahmatan lil alamin. This vaccine clearly does not justify that Islam has never taught murder or terror. If there are differences of opinion, then it should be straightened out in a good way, not by provocation or acts of terror that only hurt.
Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Komjen Rafli Amar said, the radicalists are still spreading their ideology by using the covid-19 issue as evidence of the close of doomsday for people to join them. In addition they are also increasingly active in the world of social media because many people are online at home as a result of implementing large-scale social restrictions.
He said he would make the ulama task force together with NU and Muhammadiyah as a counter narrative form. The program promotes values and builds moderation and promotes the state philosophy of Pancasila and Unity in Diversity.
Radical understanding certainly cannot be allowed to spread, this understanding can enter into any issue, especially related to government policy. Instead of being a solution to the problems of the people, even radicalism has been proven to leave a trail of injury and damage.) * The author is a contributor to the Jakarta Student Movement