Indonesia must be aware of ISIS phenomenon

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Deputy Rector of the University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka (UHAMKA) Gunawan Suryoputro Suryoputro said, Muslims in Indonesia should continue to be aware about ISIS phenomenon that very disturbing the international world peace on today. He said, ISIS took dissemination action of ideologies quietly that lead to extremism without being noticed by the public.

According to Gunawan, all elements of the nation such as the government, religious leaders and youth should continue to warn people to keep loyal to Indonesia.

"We have to defend our homeland, because Islam in Indonesia is peaceful and tolerant Islam. We must be aware because we are often surprised by the emergence of extreme movement,” Gunawan said in a discussion 'Preventing ISIS concept in the Name of Religion' at Campus of UHAMKA, in Kebayoran Baru South Jakarta, on Tuesday, May 19.

Gunawan explained the background of ISIS’s establishment is due to the political turmoil in Syria and Iraq. The actual leaders of ISIS were the party that lost power in Iraq and Syria, and then found a movement on behalf of the Islamic Jihad movement.

It was then made many Muslims and others joined because ISIS leaders managed to distort actual arguments of jihad. Gunawan worried about ISIS will be growing because they managed to recruit many young Muslims who did not have a deep understanding of the real Islam.

"Islamic Youth who have high idealism, but still did not understand the religion in depth used as a powerful weapon to strengthen ISIS," he said.