Rieke Called the Nation’s Predecessors Not Teaching Religion to Trap Identity Politics

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Member of the DPR from the PDIP faction, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, said that the predecessors did not teach religion and beliefs to trap people in identity politics. Namely, the identity that separates Muslims from efforts for peace, justice and world welfare.

“Our predecessors based on facts in historical archives actually taught us how to face the challenges of the times with psychological treasures (makhzun-an-nasf) which are material and immaterial in nature, which are developed to give birth to progressive-transformative thoughts in an effort to build a civilized and humane world order,” said Rieke during the opening of the Preliminary Opening of the National Archives Cooperation Forum for Muslim-Majority Countries and Seminar on Archives of the History of Islamic Civilization and Diplomacy International Jakarta, in a statement, Wednesday (12/7/2023).

Rieke added that Islamic civilization was able to harmonize relations between countries in the world. He said, based on historical records, Islamic civilization that is not anti-Western or American has made this religion an international diplomacy.

He quoted Iranian Finance Minister Ali Amini’s statement at the opening of the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung on Islamic countries collaborating to create cooperation in all continents of the world. In his statement, Ali Amini emphasized that the African-Asian nation is far from having feelings of hostility such as being anti-Western, anti-American, or anti-European.

“We hope to create an atmosphere of sincerity and fruitful collaboration for all continents and countries, both developed and less developed countries, Western and Eastern nations, large and small countries; a universal homeland for all human beings for a sense of peace, freedom, equality, tolerance and mutual respect,” said Rieke quoting Ali Amini’s opinion.

The PDIP politician added that Ali Amini’s idea was in tune with the thoughts of the leaders of the countries that were participating in the Asian-African Conference at that time. Thinking about world peace, freeing nations from colonialism and imperialism.

This thought gave birth to a collective consciousness which eventually became a collective movement or a movement that is decolonial in nature. “As a result, in about ten years, no less than 40 nations in Asia, Africa and Latin America have achieved independence,” said Rieke.

Rieke said that at that time the movement of countries with a majority Muslim population for peace, justice and the welfare of mankind continued. One of the important historical archives is related to the formation of the Islamic Conference Organization (OIC) in 1969 which was pioneered by King Hasan II from Morocco and King Faisal from Saudi Arabia.

“The archive reveals the fact that this organization is not only fighting to protect the holy places of Muslims. It is not only fighting to increase cooperation among member countries, but also fighting for international peace and security. Same with the spirit of the 1955 Asian-African Conference, OIC committed to helping the struggle for an independent and sovereign Palestinian state,” said Rieke.