Valuable notes from the 212 Reunion in 2018

IO – There wasn’t a great mass collected by 9 a.m. at Monas. Many were still stuck at the Gondangdia, Depok, Taman Kota etc. train stations. Those who managed to reach the 212 Reunion venue joined the ones already arriving all the way to Monas, all the way to the ends of Jl. Sudirman and all other access roads to Monas. The number of people joining the 212 Reunion from Monas spilled over to Jl. Sudirman and all directions exceeded that of 2016, and were easily in the millions.

Let’s wait now for the “official” and “confidential” report from the authorities or the partisan “Lügenpresse” (“lying media”) – the falsified reports that would minimize the number of participants to tens or thousands, or to a hundred thousand people at most. After all, other than pleasing their bosses, they must reduce the number to cover their initial prediction that there would be 20,000+ people coming at most, which is wide off the mark. What a shame.

It is a valuable lesson for all those who have been working hard in their attempt to cause this 212 Reunion of 2018 to be cancelled. Many methods were used, from subtle to rough: persuasion, gifts, pressure, threats, and even obstruction of transportation, but the people still come flooding in for the reunion. They have grown more solid, patient, militant, and mature. They know who are trying to sabotage their beloved 212 Reunion. We only see it as a training to temper the militancy of our ummat (flock).

On the other hand, those who attempt to ruin the Reunion did not only spend so much money and time in anxiety, their cards are getting more and more exposed each time. Foreign countries continue to monitor the performance in Indonesia, and some even consider it a concern that Indonesia is entering a repressive era. Some even go so far as to accuse that each of the people present for the 212 Reunion was paid off, receiving Rp 100,000.00 each. This is obviously ridiculous. Its motive is easy to guess: they want to organize a competing event, and they are seeking to drain money off their anxious don so that he would prepare about the same amount as rumored: Rp100,000.00/person. Spendthrift project!

They totally misunderstood this peaceful, democratic action guaranteed by the Constitution of 1945. The people holding the reunion are true supporters of NKRI. They fully understand what our basic principle Pancasila morality means, they understand what Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (“Unity in Diversity”) means, and they practice it without making a lot of noise. They fully understand the history behind the birth of NKRI and Pancasila. They maintain harmonious relations and unity with their countrymen. They are fully cognizant of the meaning of maintaining cleanliness, order, and security when protesting. The people who participate in the Reunion come from all denominations, religions, and ethnicities. None of them are paid; all of them come according to their conscience.

Another important thing to note is: “Who is the actual mover behind the Peaceful Action of the millions of people, numbers that even exceed the crowds going on the pilgrimage to the Fields of Arafah? Naturally, they would be the ulema who started the 411 and 212 Peaceful Action that protested against blasphemy, with Habib Rizieq Shihab (HRS) as the central figure. This action gives us the following precious lessons:

1. Those people who oppressed HRS so badly that he is forced to go move to Makkah, those “ulemas” and religious figures who left behind the spirit and aspiration of 411 and 212, are now being ignored. Yet now more and more of the ummat listen to HRS, follow him, and love him.
2. Observers and survey agencies who consider that the power of 212 is nothing or very small in comparison with that of older and more stable community organizations, are given the lie when faced against the number of people who came for the 212 Reunion. They come at their own expense; nobody paid them. It is doubtful that any of the other organizations could collect as many participants to crowd their own events.
3. The figures, “ulemas”, and organizations who claim control over the masses, who said that the people coming to the Reunion are at their behest, direction, or blessing, must now swallow their shame from the fact that many actually came to the 212 Reunion despite the prohibition from these figures. The ummat have discovered new leaders, true ulemas whom they can trust to be istiqama (steadfast in faith), who can be trusted and not easily seduced by worldly things.
4. It goes without saying that we know where everyone’s aspirations for 2019 are.

Now we know who should be learning from whom, who should be taking examples from whom, who are telling lies and who are telling the truth. Sing becik ketitik sing olo kentoro (“whatever’s good shall be proven, whatever’s bad shall be shown”). The Wheel of Time turns, and who remains patient and true will win in the end.