Good News

Next seven Sunday-evenings we’ll stay at home. Corny as it may appear to be, we will watch TV. We are looking forward to a series of seven documentaries called “Van Dis in Indonesië“. It will, among other issues, address the tensions caused by radicalism.

Adriaan van Dis is author of novels and essays. But he also is an occasional, yet renowned, TV personality in The Netherlands. Everyone who saw his fabulous programs interviewing famous authors both from abroad and the best of his Dutch colleagues, will always remember them. His series of documentaries on South Africa set a standard. They were personal but thorough investigations in Mandela’s country’s post-Apartheid society. TV at it’s best.

As a teaser for the new series he in a recent interview told that in his perception Indonesia will be a country of open, relaxed Islam if only the economy keeps thriving. A major economic downturn could in his opinion result in a country of angry, navel gazing believers with closed minds though. Which could jeopardize Indonesia’s very fragile democracy.

I think Adriaan van Dis did hit the nail on it’s head. That angry version is disturbingly visible already indeed. The name of it’s deceiving smiling face is Abu Bakar Bashir. The ideologist. Makes me think of a religious and relatively moderate version of Alfred Rosenberg. It’s threatening ugly face is Muhammad Rizieq Syihab. The streetfighter. A little less uncivilized impersonation of a slightly watered down Ernst Röhm.

Last year the smiling face was sentenced to 15 years.

The good news is that he appealed but the Supreme Court confirmed the conviction the other day.

Now it’s time the ugly face will join him in jail. That would even be better news.

Though the best news I can imagine would be that both the Islamic Jihad Front (FJI) and the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) would officially be declared illegal and be disbanded.

That outcome would require a brave head of state and decisive action on behalf of a strong coherent government though.

So the inevitable conclusion is we probably will still need a lot of patience.

triesti

03/04/2012 at 07:47 · Reply

do you think I can see that van dis program somewhere?
I dont agree with you about disbanding FPI. By disbanding them, we have to re-track their former members. I’d say it is better if FPI leaders declare & implement peaceful group; no more abuse, no more sweeping. It’s because their members listen to their leaders.

colson

03/04/2012 at 09:02 · Reply

Deze zou misschien kunnen helpen: http://tvblik.nl/van-dis-in-indonesie. Het zal t.z.t. ook toegevoegd worden aan deze fantastische collectie: http://www.hollanddoc.nl/kijk-luister/landen-en-regios/indonesie.html.

En, mocht ik zelf een zondagavond verhinderd zijn ( misschien vanavond al want mijn dochter’s lief is jarig en hij kookt zo lekker) probeer ik het eerst hier: http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/weekarchief/

Do you see ways to convert FPI leaders and have them wear badges saying “Make Love, no war”? Like, old fashioned Christians well-versed in the Scripture would say: ‘like Sauls turning into Pauls overnight”?

03/04/2012 at 11:36 · Reply

Well, IRA could change, why cant FPI? It wont be overnight, but it could happen eventually if it was done right. Ba’ashir was close to do that before Densus captured him and ruined years worth of efforts. Now, I dont see him converting.

03/04/2012 at 14:49 · Reply

@ triesti: Religious wars historically always had been bloody, merciless and long. But from my perspective “the troubles in Northern Ireland” were not a religious conflict.

The difference between Ba’ ashir and Adams is the latter was ( is) claiming the nationalistic right [of ( catholic) people in Northern Ireland] to join the Irish Republic and a socio-economical fair share of the wealth of Northern Ireland for the [Roam Catholic] underclass. It was not about forcing the ethical and moral code of the Roman Catholic Church on the Protestants.