A Muslim man prays during a mass rally rally in Jakarta on Dec. 2, to demand the arrest of Jakarta governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, for alleged blasphemy. (ucanews.com photo)
There is growing concern in Indonesia that radical groups are trying to take advantage of Christian Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy case to gain power and undermine secularism in the Muslim majority country.
The ethnic Chinese governor, popularly known as Ahok, appeared in court in Jakarta on Dec. 20 for the second hearing in his trial for quoting verses in the Quran during an election speech.
The governor, who is running for a second term, denies committing blasphemy and said his political rivals used the quotes to encourage people not to vote for a non-Muslim in the election next February.
However, prosecutors told the court at the second hearing they had evidence to support the allegation.
Ahmad Najib Burhani, an Indonesian Institute of Sciences researcher said hardliners who organized three of the largest rallies Jakarta has seen in years to demand that Ahok be jailed and who have staged protests outside the trial court are using the case to achieve their own agenda.
"We cannot talk about blasphemy per se, but there is an agenda to take power," he said, ahead of the Dec. 20 hearing.
"They see themselves gaining momentum and won't let it go."
This is clear by their ignoring the opinions of moderate Muslims, including leaders of the two largest Muslim organizations, Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama who have asked them to respect the legal process.
"Their ears are closed and do not want to listen to views that are contrary to their intentions," he said.
These groups are getting stronger due to the support of figures like Amien Rais, a former Muhammadiyah chairman who urged Muslims not to vote for Ahok, accusing him of being a dajjal (an anti-Christ), Burhani added.
Budhy Munawar Rahman, an Islamic scholar and lecturer at Paramadina University, said extremist organizations like the Islam Defender Front are using the case to gain support.
"They hope to make the public see them trying to protect Islam instead of being a violent group, " he said.
The government's inability to crack down on them has helped them garner public sympathy, he added.
"Because the government is weak in dealing with them, many people do not consider them dangerous," Rahman said.
Islamic Defenders Front chairman, Shobri Lubis, denied his group's insistence that Ahok be jailed hides an ulterior motive.
It "has nothing to do with politics or gaining power. This is a matter of faith," he said.
The presence of many people from outside of Jakarta at the recent rallies was clear evidence the protests were not related to the Jakarta elections, he said.
"We are only demanding justice for someone who has insulted Islam," Lubis said.
Andreas Harsono, from Human Rights Watch said that although he believes Ahok is not guilty, he is unlikely to avoid a prison sentence because of pressure being brought to bear by various groups.
Of all of the 130 blasphemy cases brought since the fall of former strongman Suharto in 1998 almost all have ended with prison sentences being handed down.
"There is always pressure on authorities in these cases. In Ahok's case this pressure is probably the most significant in Indonesia's history," he said.
