The capital of Muslim-majority Indonesia is on edge ahead of what is expected to be a second massive protest by conservative Muslims against its Christian governor and no group more so than its Chinese minority.
Certainly as Chinese descendants, we are still traumatised by the riots in 1998
Clement Alexander, a grocery store owner
They have reason to be concerned. The movement against the governor, who is being prosecuted for allegedly insulting the Koran, has overflowed with racial slurs against his Chinese ancestry, an unnerving sign in a country with a history of lashing out violently against the ethnic minority that makes up 1 per cent of its 250 million people.
The first major protest against Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama on November 4 drew more than 100,000 people to Jakarta’s streets. Some held up banners calling for Ahok to be killed or decrying Chinese influence. It ended in violence, with one death and dozens injured after hardliners attacked police. A separate mob tried to invade the apartment complex where Ahok lives in the north of the city and vandalised property in the area, which is home to many Chinese.
A Muslim hardline protester carries a broken police shield as he walks near burning trucks during a protest against Ahok on November 4. Photo: Reuters
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Hardline organisers of the protest, who were unsatisfied by a police decision earlier this month to formally name Ahok as a suspect in the blasphemy case instead of arresting him, are promising another giant rally on Friday. After police pressure, they have agreed to concentrate the rally around a national monument in central Jakarta and insist it will be peaceful.
The furor over Ahok, sparked by his criticism of detractors who argued the Koran prohibits Muslims from having a non-Muslim leader, has highlighted religious and racial fault lines in Indonesia, the world’s most populous nation, and the growing challenge from proponents of sharia law to its secular system of government.
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Members of Muslim groups walk in front of a banner referring to Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama by his nickname during a protest. The banner reads ‘Hang Ahok here’. Photo: Reuters
