Acts of violence or radicalism are an ideology that requires change or replacement of a system in society down to its roots by using violent means. The majority of acts of violence that have occurred so far have been carried out by groups of people in the name of religion by misunderstanding a number of notions of goodness to use as arguments by carrying out acts of violence in the name of jihad. All acts of violence in the name of religion are completely unacceptable, both according to religious and state law. This movement can be prevented by strengthening the sense of national unity and integrity.
Indonesia is a large nation, has thousands of islands and abundant wealth. Apart from that, Indonesia has diverse ethnic groups, cultures and languages. All of this would not be united if the founding fathers of the nation did not unite their fighting spirit for independence. The unity of the Indonesian nation contains elements of the ideals of brotherhood and friendship, suffused with an atmosphere of goodness, purity and beauty. National unity and integrity must always be maintained, so that Indonesia becomes an independent country and is protected from all dangerous ideas that are not part of the nation’s culture.
Radicalism really damages the nation’s morals and even the pillars of the Pancasila ideology. Meanwhile, religion is used as a foundation/tool which is then understood in an extreme way. Radicalism can strengthen social polarization in society, divide relations between citizens and create disharmony and damage the country’s image in the eyes of the world.
Head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BNPT RI), Komjen Pol. Mohammed Rycko Amelza Dahniel said that the target of radicalism groups is to make the younger generation intolerant. The process of spreading this ideology targets the beliefs of the younger generation, reinforced by narratives of religious orders. This ideology makes people believe that what they are doing is a religious order.
Radical groups or foreign actors often use social media and online platforms to spread hoaxes, fake news and propaganda designed to create distrust in the foundations of sovereign states and governments. Apart from that, radical groups will try to intimidate groups that reject or oppose their ideology. This intimidation can take the form of acts of violence, threats, or intimidation campaigns.
Facing this condition, understanding the values of Pancasila by involving youth and religious leaders through a moderate attitude is very important. Cooperation from all elements of society is very necessary in fighting radical narratives. Moreover, it is estimated that radical groups will increasingly intensively spread the virus of radical terrorism to students and youth.
Chairman of the MPR, Bambang Soesatyo, said that preventing radicalism needs to be carried out on a massive scale to protect society and the younger generation from this hardline ideology. Education and strengthening the values of Pancasila need to continue to be echoed starting from early education. In fact, the role of all elements of society is very important to combat radicalism in cyberspace. By strengthening the sense of oneness and unity, society will return to the noble values agreed upon by the founding fathers of the nation. This is one of the factors that will create a situation of zero acts of terrorism in the country in the future.
He also reminded that there are still big challenges of social exclusivism related to the rapid flow of globalization which is leading to the strengthening tendency of identity politicization, symptoms of social polarization and fragmentation based on SARA. There can still be indications of attempts to destabilize and undermine Pancasila as the ideology and foundation of the state.
With the various challenges faced, efforts to overcome radicalism become a necessity in order to maintain national security and stability and maintain unity. The hope is that with cooperation at all levels between the government, society and related institutions, Indonesia can create an environment that is safe, inclusive and full of tolerance. Efforts to prevent and overcome radicalism are not only the responsibility of the government, but also a shared responsibility for all elements of society.
Chairman of the interfaith and diversity mass organization United Indonesian Archipelago Fighters (PNIB), AR Waluyo Wasis Nugroho, said that this election holds the potential for quite a big rift in the nation. All the accumulated problems of the nation gather in one interest in the struggle for power. It was at this moment that groups dividing the nation had the opportunity to enter the abyss of the feud between the supporters of the presidential candidates.
This warning statement is based on the widespread arrogance, intimidation, provocation and distortion of facts related to the competition between presidential candidates. Ordinary people become objects of hatred that is deliberately spread to gain votes. People in remote areas who have always lived in harmony are now being dragged around for political purposes.
By strengthening the values of national unity and unity, it is hoped that society will avoid various dangerous ideas, especially ahead of the upcoming 2024 presidential election. This is to create a safe, peaceful and united Indonesia in the era of digitalization where currently the transfer of information is moving so fast.
It is hoped that the strengthening of synergy from various parties, especially from religious and community leaders together with youth, will be able to create an increasingly peaceful and more tolerant environment, as well as being able to distance citizens from the potential for radicalism, intolerance and even acts of terrorism.
