Jakarta. Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said on Wednesday (10/05) the government is ready to dismantle Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, or HTI, on strong evidence that activities and pronouncements by the hardline Muslim organization directly contravene values enshrined in state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

"We're preparing to forward the evidence to prosecutors to bring the case to trial. We have hard evidence gained from the police," Tjahjo told reporters.

"Mass organizations are allowed, but they must adhere to the values of Pancasila."

Hizbut Tahrir is an international organization aimed at establishing a pan-Islamic theocracy in the Muslim world by removing existing, pluralist governments, whether by coercion or other means.

The organization was originally founded by Syaikh Taqiuddin al-Nabhani in 1953 as a Sunni Muslim group based out of Jerusalem.

"HTI's leaders have demonstrated that they are at odds with our state ideology and constitution. Previous warnings have been issued multiple times by the Home Affairs Ministry," Tjahjo said.

In previous months ministry officials have sent numerous warnings to HTI leaders to tone down their hardline pronouncements and calls for a caliphate, or Islamic kingdom, to replace the democratically-elected government.

Tjahjo's comments come on the heels of Chief Security Minister Wiranto's announcement on Monday that the government will soon take legal action aimed at dismantling the organization.

According to Indonesian law, the responsibility of disbanding an organization such as HTI falls on the Attorney General's Office upon request by the Justice and Home Affairs ministries.

 

 

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