Understanding Violent Extremism in Indonesia

Abstract

This chapter examines what we know about radicalisation and recruitment into violent extremism in Indonesia over the past 70 years. It reviews the emergence of proto-Islamist violent extremism in Indonesia (well before the first formulations of jihadi thought by Egypt’s Sayyid Qutb) with the Darul Islam (DI) movement in the early 1950s. It tracks the evolution of Salafi jihadism in Indonesia in successive chapters from the original DI insurgency, through Salafi extremism and the revival of DI in an underground insurgency in the 1970s, led by Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Baasyir, and their retreat, or hijrah to Malaysia in the 1980s. This is followed by the sending of mujahideen to Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s which culminated in the declaration of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in 1993, (with more extreme JI splinter factions carrying out terrorist bombings in the 2000s) leading to the engagement of JI and other extremists in the conflict in Syria and Iraq as foreign terrorist fighters (FTF), first with Jabhat al-Nusra and al-Qaeda and then with ISIS. The second half of the chapter examines the sociology and psychology of radicalisation in Indonesia by unpacking survey research carried out by LSI (Lingkaran Survei Indonesia) for the Wahid Foundation. It draws on national survey data collected in April 2016 and October 2017 with adult Muslims across Indonesia and a third survey, from March 2017, of Muslim youth involved in Rohis (Rohani Islam) religious instruction classes (Rohis). The analysis examines the key issues of imagined enemies and out groups, intergroup contact and support for extremism, the role of toxic masculinity and the contribution of digital literacy. It finds significant correlation between all of these and levels of support for violent and hateful extremism. And in particular, it finds that there is convincing empirical evidence indicating that higher levels of religious observance and religious knowledge, together with belonging to mainstream religious organisations, are associated with lower levels of support for violent extremism. Contact with religious out-groups is found to be an important factor associated with reduction of violent extremism. The quality of the relationship established with out-group members is crucial: the more substantial it is, the more likely it is to shape attitudes and perceptions. This chapter incorporates a comprehensive compilation of the current critical literature from researchers and practitioners.KeywordsIndonesiaReligiosityIslamIslamismRadicalisationSalafi jihadiViolent extremism