In my previous blog post examining the New World Order Conspiracy Theory, and speculating who may be behind it, I noted that this theory could be used as a kind of psychological warfare by various groups.
See this post “Dissecting the New World Order Conspiracy”
Some readers may also remember that I previously had written about attacks on the Ahmadiyya sect in Indonesia by hardline Islamist groups, and the Indonesian government decision to virtually ban the Ahmadiyya sect in violation of the spirit of the Indonesian Constitution, and in a clear violation of the universal human right of freedom of religion.
Suppression of Ahmadiyya by Extreme Muslims Violates Freedom of Religion
Update on Ahmadiyya: Harassment, Demonstrations, Criticism of Moderate Groups
The International Crisis Group recently released a report commenting on the ban on Ahmadiyya, and concluding that the government of President Yudhoyono had made several mistakes- among them to increasingly include Islamist influenced groups in policy making on religious affairs, and second to give in to the radical groups which perpetrate intimidation and violence. By giving in to them the Yudhoyono government has made these groups bolder to demand more restrictions on the freedom of Indonesians in the name of their interpretation of Islam.
The report discusses the actions of one Munarman, a former human rights lawyer for the Legal Aid Institute Foundation, who fell under the influence of the extreme international Islamist group Hizb Ut Tahrir. The report details that Munarman became a hero for “radical right” Islamists in Indonesia when he led the Islamic Defender’s Front in its assualt on peaceful demonstrators calling for respect for religious tolerance in Indonesia on 1 June, 2008 in Jakarta.
After this incident he was wanted for arrest and eventually turned himself in after the government issued its virtual ban on Ahmadiyya. The report writes that
“from detention he gave an interview to the FUI’s Suara Islam, in which he accused all those taking part in the Freedom of Religion demonstration of being handmaidens of the ‘American Imperialists and Israeli Zionists’, backed by ‘Freemasonry and Illuminati’, with the goal of ‘wiping religion from the earth’”. (page 13)
While this is perhaps a subtext in the larger use of the New World Order Conspiracy theory, it shows clearly how once these theories are established they can be used as a form of propaganda. One of the main tools of propaganda is to capitalize on fear, and the New World Order theory is full of fear! Once the theory is created, it can be used by groups and individuals who have different goals than the original creators of the theory.
It is sad to see that this theory is being used to smear people who are asking for a more liberal society, tolerance, and freedom of religion.
In my analysis, the Hizb Ut Tahrir has also displayed one of the traits used to characterize Fascism, i.e. the use of politically provocative issues, such as the recent fuel price hikes in Indonesia, to further its agenda of getting power. Several articles I recently read on Fascism have described Fascism as lacking any clear ideology, but rather seizing on any issue that its proponents can use to agitate the people and gain support. The main objective of Fascism is to get power. The Ahmadiyya ban, fuel price hikes, and anti- Americanism are a few of the examples which are relevant in the case of Hizb Ut Tahrir in Indonesia.
I urge all the readers of this blog to deepen their resolve to resist extremists who are intolerant of other groups and seek to limit the freedoms of the rest of the world, through violence, agitation and attempts to influence or take control of governments.
After reading this report, my opinion of Yudhoyono was lowered, and I think I am leaning towards support for Megawati Sukarnoputri as a more moderate alternative. Yudhoyono’s cooperation with extremists has become a threat to the kind of freedoms I believe all humans should enjoy.
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