Call for Indonesian Islamic scholars to help deradicalisation efforts

Terror convicts' erroneous religious understanding needs to be rectified.

Islamic scholars' contribution is needed to rectify terror convicts’ erroneous religious understanding (Photo: Via Akhbar Al Aan).

JAKARTA: Indonesia's new counterterrorism chief has appealed to ulema or Islamic scholars to be actively involved in rectifying erroneous religious understanding among terror convicts. 

Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Rycko Amelza Dahniel, in a statement, said he wanted BNPT's activities to focus on deradicalisation activities. 

According to him, this is the mandate and hope of Indonesian President Joko Widodo as concrete evidence of the presence of the state in the context of preventing criminal acts of terrorism. 

"Our (BNPT) activities are as maximal and optimal as possible, we provide as much as possible for the deradicalisation programme," he was quoted as saying while chairing a BNPT meeting in Sentul, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Thursday (Apr 6). 

Rycko said Islamic scholars' contribution to the deradicalisation programme is needed as all religions teach peace, not hostility or acts of violence. 

"We form Dai Dai (Islamic preachers) who provide enlightenment to convicts. Dai are expected to provide understanding so that they (convicts) love peace, tolerate and grow their love for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," Rycko said. 

So far, the new chief said BNPT has continued to focus on deradicalisation programmes which mainly concern economic empowerment for convicts with the establishment of the Integrated Nusantara Regions (KTNs). 

KTNs have been established in five synergistic areas for combating terrorism, namely in West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and Central Sulawesi.