Indonesia: East Kalimantan joins protest against radical Islamic FPI

Jakarta - Tribal Dayak activists and human rights in East Kalimantan are calling for a ban on the fundamentalist movement Islamic Defence Front (FPI), launching appeals to the government and institutions of the country. After the "exceptional" and "unprecedented" protest in Central Kalimantan (Borneo see AsiaNews 13/02/2012: Borneo: "unprecedented" protest, Dayak stop Islamic radicals) and demonstrations of activists in Jakarta (see AsiaNews 15 / 02/2012 Jakarta, activists and civil society in the streets against FPI Islamic radicals), hundreds of people also took to the streets in the city of Balikpapan to demonstrate against the FPI extremists, authors of attacks against shops, as well as stores and property belonging to religious minorities.

Led by local leader Gabriel Bayer, members of the Dayak Forum of East Kalimantan - belonging to the United Borneo Forum - signed a petition to the mayor of Balikpapan Rizal Effendi, which calls for the banning of the Islamist group because it "constitutes a serious threat to interfaith harmony" and "social tolerance". The Forum believes the FPI presence is not "tolerable" for Kalimantan Indonesian who care about peace and dialogue between different faiths.

The fight against the extremist movement is also supported by two Muslim youth groups: the Gerakan Pemuda Ansor and Banser, both affiliated with the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the leading moderate Muslim organization in Indonesia, a nation with the highest number of Islamic faithful in the world. Hendro Tri Subiyantoro, a senior official in Ansor, East Java, confirms that the government "must" dismantle the extremist group and activists will use all "peaceful" methods available to reach the goal.

The Islamic Defence Front wants the introduction of Shariah, Islamic law in Indonesia, and is suspected of connivance with the police, during raids and assaults. The group is accused of using violence to introduce Islamic values in Indonesia. In the past, the FPI has launched a series of attacks since 2000, affecting among others the U.S. Embassy and bars, nightclubs and private clubs, especially an occasion of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and prayer. The fundamentalists also came out against the feast of St. Valentine, terming it a Christian event and making a series of night raids against young couples.