How Violence Erupted: Islamic Defenders Front Activity in Yogyakarta

Abstract

Islamic Defender Front/Front Pembela Islam (FPI) is one of the most prominent civil organizations in Indonesia. They also perceived as one of the most radical and violent Islamic organizations in Indonesia especially when dealing with the religious/blasphemy issues towards Islam. On the contrary, the cause of violence in FPI is not always depends on religious issues. They also have another reason in resorting to violence even with their fellow Islamic organizations. This case is often found in their relations with Islamic Jihad Front/Front Jihad Islam (FJI) in the Special Region of Yogyakarta province. This research will try to explain the patterns of violence in FPI’s activities in Yogyakarta, both towards the religious issues or others. The violence of FPI will be explained by the social movement perspective especially with the vigilantism and framing concepts. Framing will explain about the source of legitimation towards the violence. Meanwhile, the vigilantism will explain about the pattern and behavior in the act of violence. One conclusion that can be drawn is FPI act of violence in Yogyakarta is not always related with the religious issues, but also began with their hostility with Front Jihad Islam/FJI. This kind of violence is based on the rivalry between FPI’s leader (Bambang Tedy) and FJI’s leader (Jarot). On the other hand, FPI also have a religious-motivated violence although the scale of this features usually smaller than the hostility with FJI.