Maluku Indonesia - Conflict Analysis

Many societal conflicts, in my opinion, are the result of economic inequity. Politicians then utilize the feeling of unjust treatment as a tool to defeat their opponents. When a social issue is colored by a sensitive feeling, such as religion, it is referred to as a conflict between religions. Religion is merely a tactic for gaining public support. Ambon, North Maluku, Sampit, and Poso disputes are religiously motivated political or economic conflicts. It is not simply a religious conflict. This clearly answers the question of whether the conflict between religions is caused solely by religious variety or by other factors.  Like the majority, Moslems has a lot of communities and a lot of followers. Some groups in these communities have a dream to build a new government which is based on Islamic ideology, Islamic based country have to practice Islamic rules, or Shari’a (Syariat) used as the ideology, laws, and also applying Islamic lifestyle to daily life. Why do they have such dream to change Pancasila to Islamic ideology? Mainly it is caused by their disappointment to the government failure to develop the country. Since the government claims that they are using Pancasila as the basis of development. The people disappointment then redirect to the Pancasila. As the majority of the people come from the lowest class with less education, they can quickly turn their support from Pancasila to other ideology that promises changes. And since the democracy is based on the majority support and eliminating the quality of reasoning, so politically the political power that uses the may gain the power to govern. Since the ideology used is religion based so that the government will be on the side of that religion’s followers. A feeling to be mistreated may rise, that in turn may ignite an unrest situation.

Indonesia once has been an Islamic based country, known as Indonesia Islamic Nation (Negara Islam Indonesia). It used to be proclaimed on 7 August 1949 by As-Syahid Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosoewirjo at the Dutch Colonial Territories excluding Yogyakarta. It was born due to people’s disappointment to the government of the Republic of Indonesia in which the government failed to defend West Irian from Dutch Colony. The goal of this organization was creating Indonesia based on Syariah Law or any policy relating tightly or similarly to Islamic Policy. Despite the fact that its founder had passed away (because of the death penalty), the Ideology itself still exists, in the smaller community. (The disappointment feeling of SM Kartosuwiryo to the government began in 1945 when it was decided to make changes to the first principle of Pancasila. SM Kartosuwiryo then moved to Western Java, where he could get support from several Muslim leaders since most of Western Java people are fanatically follow their leaders. The hilly landscape of Western Java also supported Kartosuwiryo in building his military power to practice guerrilla warfare against the Republic of Indonesia. It is said that he had gotten support from the Dutch side. So it is not true that the Kartosuwiryo’s disappointment to the failure of the government in defending the West Irian. The conflict of West Irian between Indonesia and the Dutch occurred in 1958 through 1963, while Kartosuwirjo proclaimed the NII in 1949. If the disappointment is connected with the Linggarjati Agreement in 1948 will be much logic. But through the Linggarjati Agreement gave a better situation for the Kartosuwiryo NII, since due to the agreement the TNI should withdraw from West Java to Yogya area. The situation gave NII and its military wing DI could grow much freely).

For example, in one province in our country; NAD (Nangroe Aceh Darussalam) practiced the Syariah law. Punishments for criminals are based on Islamic laws or Qishash. These Islamic laws or Qishash are laws that punish the criminals by caning with whips, hand cut (especially for those who are stealing), and even death penalty such as beheading.Qishash is written in Al-Quran in Al Maa-idah: 45 which stated that life replied with life, eyes with eyes, nose with the nose, etc. This kind of punishments, of course, contradictory with human rights and irrelevant to be used nowadays especially in the case of a death penalty. (Why don’t you tell that this writing is picked up from other’s writing? The highlighted Arabic letters above is shown that this is other’s writing).

Beside its irrelevance and contradictive aspects of human rights, it also states that Qishash is required and has to be done for the believers (Al Bawarah: 178). In this statement, believers are intended for those who are Moslems. This is irrelevant with Indonesia because not all citizens are believers, even though most of the citizens are. UUD 1945 article 29 verse 2 ensures that every citizen of Indonesia has their right to choose their religion and do their rituals based on their religion. Therefore, Qishash can’t be forced for those who are not Muslim.

Other than laws perspective, Islamic based country also has to apply Islamic lifestyle of its citizens, its political and economic system. Wearing hijab (jilbab) for women for example of Islamic lifestyle. Hijab is one example of attributes that wore specifically only for Islamic women that are ready for mental and spiritual. As can be seen, not every female Muslim wears hijab every day, because it is talking about spiritual steadiness. It can’t be forced that every female Muslim wears hijab moreover for those who are not Muslim. Some banks in our country already have Syariah system, in the example: Mandiri, Bukopin, BNI, etc.

From our analysis and our opinion, this dream of making Indonesia as an Islamic country is not preferable because was against Pancasila, as the state’s ideology, also violating some articles in UUD 1945, as the state’s constitution. This idea violates the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th sale in Pancasila. It’s not fair for all the citizens of Indonesia, especially for those who were not Moslems, and it will lead to separation instead of Unity of Indonesia. There will also be no representatives to represent different religions other than Islam. Furthermore, creating Indonesia as Islamic based country is against human rights, the first principle of Pancasila and UUD 1945 article 29, which states that every citizen of Indonesia has their right to choose their religion and do their rituals based on their religion. Naturally, creating Indonesia as religion-based country contradicts with UUD 1945 article 1 verse 3 which states Indonesia as the law based country.



Indonesia is a country with 250 million of people, which most of them are Muslim. In the heart of some citizens, especially those who are radical, there is longing to create Indonesia as a religion based country (Islamic based country). What is it mean by Islamic based state? Islamic based country is a country were Islamic rules, or Shari’a (Syariat) used as the ideology, laws, and also applying Islamic lifestyle to daily life. For example, in NAD (Nangroe Aceh Darussalam), punishment for criminals or villains are based on Islamic laws or Qishash. These Islamic laws or Qishash are laws that may harm the criminals by caning villains with whips, hand cut (especially for those who are stealing), and even death penalty such as beheading. The punishment is based on what did the villains do, for example, the criminals are thieves so, their hands will be cut so that they will be unable to steal anymore and so on. Qishash is written in Al-Quran in Al Maa-idah: 45 which stated that life replied with life, eyes with eyes, nose with the nose, etc. This kind of punishments of course contradictory with human rights and irrelevant to be used nowadays especially in the case of the death penalty. Beside it is irrelevant and contradictory with human rights, it is also stated in Al-Quran that Qishash is required and has to be done for the believers (Al Basrah: 178). In this statement, believers are intended for those who are Muslim, of course, it is irrelevant with Indonesia even most of the citizens are Muslim. The first principle of Pancasila and UUD 1945 article 29 verse 2 are ensuring that every citizen of Indonesia have right to choose their religion and do their rituals based on their religion so, Qishash can’t be forced for those who are not Muslim.

Besides on the point of laws, people who want to create Indonesia as Islamic based country also want to apply Islamic lifestyle to daily lifestyle and habits. Wearing hijab (jilbab) for women for example of Islamic lifestyle. Hijab is one example of attributes that wore specifically only for Islamic women that are ready for mental and spiritual. As can be seen, not every female Muslim wears hijab every day, because it is talking about spiritual steadiness. It can’t be forced that every female Muslim wears hijab moreover for those who are non-Moslem.

So, creating Indonesia as Islamic based country is against human rights, the first principle of Pancasila and UUD 1945 article 29. Besides that, creating Indonesia as the religion-based country also contradictory with UUD 1945 article 1 verse 3 which stated Indonesia as the law based country. As the conclusion, let Indonesia be law based country not religion based country.