By: Ilham Ramadhan )*
This radicalism is the main trigger for extreme actions, including anarchism. Along with the development, this movement is suspected of enlarging the younger generation and intellectual circles. The arrest of a lecturer in Bogor is a clear example of the current threat of spreading radicalism in the educational environment.
Radicalism seems to be targeting campuses to get militant “cadres”. Even the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education (Menristekdikti) Mohammad Nasir, said that the campus could not be free from radicalism.
He said this following the arrest of the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) lecturer, Abdul Basith, who was suspected of storing dozens of Molotov cocktails, which were ready to be detonated during a demonstration at the 212 Mujahid Action in Jakarta.
He also said that there must be a serious effort in eradicating radicalism. He also encouraged the police to thoroughly investigate the lecturer.
Meanwhile, the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) revealed that IPB is one of the campuses exposed to radicalism. Together with 6 other state universities (PTN), IPB is considered vulnerable to the spread of radical ideas.
BNPT mentioned as many as 7 well-known campuses namely, UI, ITB, IPB, UNDIP, ITS, Airlangga University and UB.
Historically, radical religious thought movements that have been transnational in nature have been developing for the last 3 decades in Bogor City.
After the New Order, the radicalism movement became more open and targeted at campuses, as a basis for the spread of indoctrination among academics and students about narrow religious understanding.
Their movement started from forming a study group with tutors from among them both from among lecturers and senior students.
Not only that, it turns out that their movement also controls the majority of student organizations such as BEM, Himpro, and other organizations.
So why is IPB quite vulnerable to the influence and targets of the Radical movement? That was caused by IPB students coming from various regions in Indonesia. In the admission system it uses a free pattern of testing and recruits students who have performed well since the 1970s.
This means that those who spread the radical movement kissed the opportunity to spread their understanding. They hope that later IPB students who come from the regions can become cadres after they graduate and return to their regions.
In addition, IPB students who come from various regions are culturally more easily influenced. Especially through religious doctrination because they have just graduated from high school, and not necessarily they have a strong religious perspective or perspective.
Setara Institute also mentioned that the Al-Hurriyah Mosque in IPB was suspected as a place for the regeneration of radical groups.
The entry of radical groups was also preceded by the Muslim Brotherhood movement. They moved smoothly and carefully during the New Order. Their target is the world of education. Campus seems to be the target because that’s where they can master scholarships for its regeneration program.
A few years later, after the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafi Wahabis and Hizb ut-Thahrir entered the campuses. They form exclusive ties and massively spread their ideology.
Through IPB they conducted regeneration in the mosque. They are also looking for smart high school students to be given scholarships.
The way of spreading their ideology is interesting, not only because of the level of discussion. But all facilities are provided; ranging from boarding, monthly money to be introduced to women who are members to be married.
IPB seems to be indeed a campus that can be considered exclusive for the group, even the radical group also had to require IPB to be a veiled campus, even though we all know that IPB is a State campus where students come from various tribes and religions.
They also had time to disperse the musical performances because they were considered immoral acts. In addition they also eliminate cultural and artistic events.
After the regeneration runs, their cadres will be deployed out in the field program, with the aim of building new networks while spreading the ideology of the Khilafah. They are truly trained to build a movement that they will hit decades later.
Those who have held important positions in government companies, of course, can then re-carry out regeneration to the ranks below.
The journey to fight radicalism in Indonesia is like an endless long road, because it has been left for a long time. But with this, of course we can start anticipatory steps so that the stigma of the campus as a hotbed of radicalism can fade.
)* The author is a social political observer