Transnationalism and Transnational Islam in Indonesia With Special Emphasis on Papua

Abstract

Papua has experienced the threat of communal harmony between Christians and Muslims regarding the transnational Islam advent in Papua. The Tolikara Incident in 2015 and the latest one the banning of building the minaret of the Al-Aqsha Mosque in Sentani in 2018, to a certain degree, were part of transnational Islam influence in the region with a majority non-Muslim population. The presence of transnational Islam cannot be separated from the emergence of the public sphere in the country after the demise of the Suharto regime in 1998. This paper will explore transnational Islam in Papua by reviewing previous studies and discourse on transnational Islam in Indonesia. At the outset, the author will delve literature review on transnationalism and transnational Islam globally. Afterward, it will discuss the presence of transnational Islam, especially Salafi of Jafar Umar Thalib (JUT) in Jayapura and Keerom that has created tension and hostilities within Muslim communities, as well as toward non-Muslim. No doubt, Salafi faction of JUT has tried to promulgate or disseminate radical Islamic teaching through dakwah (propagation) and other activities that threaten Papua Land of Peace (Papua Tanah Damai). As a result, their presence has gotten resistance from some Islamic mass organizations and non-Muslims.