Unrest erupted in Indonesia amid calls for a “constitutional jihad” with “thousands-strong riots…against the re-election of moderate President Joko Widodo over hard-line military general Prabowo Subianto.”
6 people were left dead and at least 200 injured.
Still, the lie persists that violence and bloody jihad have nothing to do with Islam, despite the ubiquitous global evidence.
“‘Constitutional Jihad’: Six Killed in Indonesian Riots After Islamists’ Candidate Loses Presidential Race”, by Frances Martel, Breitbart, May 22, 2019:
Indonesian police struggled to contain thousands-strong riots late Tuesday against the re-election of moderate President Joko Widodo over hard-line military general Prabowo Subianto. The unreast has killed six and injured hundreds since Islamic groups called for “constitutional jihad” against Widodo this weekend.
Subianto, who has run for the presidency on several occasions, has denied being an avowed Islamists but embraced the support of fringe Islamic groups. His campaign benefitted from social media rumors and unofficial negative campaigning accusing Widodo of being a secret Christian and communist (communism is illegal in Indonesia).
The Indonesian election commission ratified Widodo’s victory on Tuesday, revealing the results of the race giving the president an 11-point lead over the challenger. A total of 44 percent of voters, or 69 million people, supported the losing candidate. Subianto rejected the results of the election and has announced he will petition for a recount, citing alleged fraud.
According to Singapore’s Straits Times, Widodo opponents used social media to organize in anticipation of the presidential election results released Tuesday. A group calling themselves “Persaudaraan Alumni 212,” a reference to the mobs that pressured the government into imprisoning Christian Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy, began posting calls for “constitutional jihad” against another Widodo term regardless of the results of the election.
The calls attracted 2,000 people to the headquarters of the national election institute in Jakarta, who began burning vehicles and garbage, throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks to block police activity. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan confirmed six dead and 200 injured as of 9 a.m. local time Tuesday, including, according to the Jakarta Post, a 17-year-old dead.
Indonesia’s national police accused 58 “provocateurs” of causing violent chaos “by design” in opposition to Widodo.
“There are indications that most of the rioters were from outside Jakarta and that they had been paid [to riot],” Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. M. Iqbal told reporters on Wednesday. “We have detained 58 people suspected of being provocateurs of the riot.”….