Back in January, soon after the terrorist attack in Central Jakarta that claimed the lives of four civilians and four militants, Indonesian netizens reacted by popularizing the hashtag #KamiTidakTakut (#WeAreNotAfraid) on social media, to show that Indonesians were not intimidated by terrorism while denouncing their ideals.
Now, the defiant sentiment is seeing a resurgence in the lead up to the November 4 protest by organized Islamic hardline groups, who say hundreds of thousands will take to the streets to demand that Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama be prosecuted for his alleged anti-Islamic remarks.
There are plenty of reasons to suspect that tomorrow’s protest will be anything but peaceful, given that leaders of hardline groups and even some politicians are seemingly doing their best to stoke the flames of religious and ethnic hatred. There is even reason to believe that the terrorist group ISIS has instructed its supporters in Indonesia to commit acts of violence at the protest.
In response to that, many Indonesian netizens are again popularizing the hashtag #KamiTidakTakut to show that, by and large, Indonesians are a diverse yet united people who are not afraid to stand up against bigotry and will not be provoked into hating one another based on race or religion.
Different but still sisters. So uplifting to see.
Differences in race and religion are united through Pancasila. I, you, we are INDONESIA.
Similar hashtags against the November 4 protest are also popping up on social media, such as #JihadGwKerja (I’ll be working while they go on “jihad”) and #4Nov_UntukNKRI (November 4 for the Unitary Republic of Indonesia).
I am a Muslim, I am Indonesian, I will not be on the streets on November 4, 2016. I love a united Indonesia more than a separate Indonesia. Islam taught me that it brings good to humanity, not the other way around.
Here’s hoping that tomorrow’s protest will be carried out peacefully.
