Hence, the politicization of religion is the main trigger of radicalism and terrorism, and that must be eliminatedJakarta (ANTARA) - National Counterterrorism Agency's (BNPT's) Director of Prevention Brigadier General of Police R. Ahmad Nurwahid cautioned that the politicization of religion or use of religion in political arenas can trigger the emergence of radicalism and terrorism.
"The root cause of the problem of radicalism and terrorism is ideology. The main trigger is the politicization of religion, so it is very relevant to activities like this. We need to make a joint pledge and sign an integrity pact, so that there is no more politicization of religion ahead of the 2024 election," Nurwahid noted in a written statement received here on Saturday.
He said that religion is God's guidance, so it should be a useful source of inspiration for all parties.
"Hence, the politicization of religion is the main trigger of radicalism and terrorism, and that must be eliminated," Nurwahid remarked while speaking at the 2022 Public Discussion, themed "Fighting Radical Groups in Indonesian Political Dynamics Ahead of the 2024 Election," organized by the Tri Bhakti Pratista Foundation at Advocafe, Purwokerto, Friday.
He further explained that Indonesia is a diverse country and also has huge potential for conflict. Hence, he appealed to the Indonesian people to be careful and not be easily politicized.
"Our country has the greatest potential for conflict in the world. In Arabia, there are only a few ethnicities and ethnic groups. They are divided into various countries. In the Indonesian nation, we have more than 1,300 ethnic groups spread over more than 17 thousand islands. Indonesia also has six religions and so many sects, and all are united in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Imagine how big the potential for conflict that could occur. Hence, we have to be careful, and we have to take care of it," he remarked.
The former head of the Gianyar resort police also emphasized that the public should fight radicalism and the politicization of religion, as it is one of the causes of conflict not only in Indonesia but also globally.
"Let us glorify it and fight radicalism because this is the cause of the existing conflict. Based on our research, the pattern of conflict in Muslim countries begins with massive radicalism and then many people join anti-government groups. Foreign intervention can also trigger conflicts like in Syria and other countries," he pointed out.
Nurwahid explained that in this case, Pancasila plays a role in unifying the nation, as the state foundation formulated by the founding fathers had proven to unite the Indonesian nation and address various challenges that earlier could have divided the nation.
"Pancasila is the basis for unifying the nation. Fortunately, we have Pancasila that was formulated by our nation's founding fathers. That has been proven, starting with the many rebellions that culminated in the G30S incident during the New Order era. Now, our nation can still be united, thanks to Pancasila," he stated.
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Translator: Katriana
Editor: Sri Haryati
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