Give Permadi a fair chance: Scholars<\/p>\n
By Santi WE Soekanto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As pressures mount to prosecute psychic Permadi
\nSatrio Wiwoho for his alleged blasphemous and libelous remarks,
\ntwo Moslem leaders and a human rights official have joined the
\nminority chorus calling for a cessation of hostilities.<\/p>\n
Marzuki Darusman, a member of the National Commission for
\nHuman Rights, Komarudin Hidayat and Nurcholish Madjid, both
\nmodernist Moslem scholars, said that enough ammunition has been
\nfired against Permadi these last several weeks.<\/p>\n
Interviewed separately, the three men said it is now time for
\nthe public's anger to let up. Otherwise, they may be driven by
\nthat anger to violate Permadi's individual rights.<\/p>\n
\"We should all remember to give Permadi his due rights, we
\nshould never be dzalim,\" Komarudin said, referring to the Islamic
\nterm for cruelty. \"We should act proportionately, and give him a
\nfair chance to defend himself.\"<\/p>\n
\"Enough has been said already,\" Nurcholish asserted. \"It's
\ntime for all of us to calm down. Let's just live and learn not to
\nrepeat history.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki pointed out that the soothsayer's rights are protected
\nby law, including the right to be presumed innocent until proven
\nguilty, Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki and Nurcholish said they agreed with Amien Rais,
\nchairman of the Muhammadiyah Moslem organization who recently
\nsaid that the case has been \"politicized\" out of proportion by
\ncertain groups.<\/p>\n
\"The public has punished Permadi, probably because they're
\ndriven by outrage and because there are political factors coming
\ninto play here,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Permadi got into trouble following an accusation by Din
\nSyamsudin, a Golkar leader as well as a Moslem scholar, that he
\nmade blasphemous remarks at a seminar in Yogyakarta last year.<\/p>\n
He also allegedly made slanderous remarks about Golkar and
\nsome government agencies during a radio interview early this
\nyear. His critics said he likened Golkar to the outlawed
\nIndonesian Communist Party, and accused the Ministry of Religious
\nAffairs of corruption.<\/p>\n
The uproar that followed, led by several Moslem leaders as
\nwell as groups of Moslem youths affiliated to Golkar, forced
\nPermadi to turn himself in to the authorities last month. Police
\nsaid they have completed their investigation and will submit the
\ndossier to the prosecutors office this week.<\/p>\n
The latest attack came from a top military officer who accused
\nPermadi of engaging in clandestine activities and of attempting
\nto undermine the government.<\/p>\n
The observers believe that many Moslems' anger over the
\nalleged blasphemy is justified, but still called for fairness and
\nmercifulness.<\/p>\n
Permadi is accused of calling Prophet Muhammad a dictator and
\na failure in creating a just and prosperous Moslem society during
\nhis leadership. Permadi said his remarks were taken out of
\ncontext and manipulated by his critics.<\/p>\n
Komarudin, however, believes there is nothing wrong with
\npeople examining Prophet Muhammad's leadership scientifically and
\nhistorically.<\/p>\n
He reminded Moslems offended by Permadi, that, in addition to
\nhis being a religious leader, Prophet Muhammad was also a
\nhistorical figure, someone who lived \"under the full light of
\nhistory\".<\/p>\n
\"He was not a mysterious person. Therefore, he belonged to
\nmany people, and his life can be looked at critically and
\nscientifically,\" Komarudin said. \"This attitude will not lessen
\nhis greatness.\"<\/p>\n
One of the criticisms against Permadi's alleged review of
\nProphet Muhammad's leadership was that it lacked scientific
\nground. He also admitted that he knows very little about Islam.<\/p>\n
\"I believe Prophet Muhammad's greatness wouldn't dim even a
\nlittle because of the criticism,\" Komarudin said. \"Defending him
\nwithout taking a critical view may actually mean that we conceal
\nhis greatness.\"<\/p>\n
\"Ten Salman Rushdi's or ten Permadi's will never be able to
\nundermine Prophet Muhammad's authenticity as a historical
\nfigure,\" Komarudin assured. Salman Rushdi is the Indian-born
\nEnglish author, whose book Satanic Verses, earned him a bounty on
\nhis head from Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran in 1989.<\/p>\n
Komarudin advised Indonesian Moslems to engage in
\nintrospection.<\/p>\n
Moslems should ask the reason for their defense of Prophet
\nMuhammad against Permadi's remarks. \"Is it because of their wish
\nto propagate Islam, or is it merely an emotional response?\"<\/p>\n
\"Is the defense meant to present a scientific clarification,
\nor is it a political ploy?\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"If anybody harasses our religion, we should all come to its
\ndefense, but we have to ask ourselves whether our actions are
\nactually vengeance,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish said there's no need for anybody to try to pinpoint
\nthose who have politicized so much it got out hand.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that some Moslems' anger over the alleged
\nblasphemy may have been caused by factors such as \"the psychology
\nof the defeated\", a mind-set created by so many years of standing
\non the sidelines of every arena.<\/p>\n
He is optimistic, however, that Indonesian Moslems will
\neventually outgrow this \"immaturity\", be more rational and mature
\nin dealing with sensitive issues.<\/p>\n
Marzuki was surprised by the accusation by Lt. Gen. Soeyono,
\nthe Armed Forces Chief of General Affairs, that Permadi was
\nengaging in clandestine activities.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's not necessary for us to go that far,\" he said,
\nexpressing concern that over-reaction may adversely affect
\nIndonesia's democratization.<\/p>\n
The case has developed, he said, in such a way as to create
\nthe impression that there are some people \"competing over who can
\npin the most extreme labels (on other people),\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"This is not a healthy trend in our political climate ... for
\nour democratization and human rights development.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki said the public should be more careful and critically
\nreview the emergence of such \"antidemocratic attitudes\".<\/p>\n
\"What concerns me most is how easily agitated Indonesians can
\nget over these sensitive issues,\" he said. \"We all need to learn
\nhow to handle such issues maturely, and not to react
\nimpulsively.\"<\/p>",
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