the emergence of fundamental socialism in riau, sumatra – indonesia

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Andreas Wimmer, MSc., Fundamentalism Socialism in Riau, Indonesia. Deutsche Asienstiftung 2012,

Volume 2, Issue 3

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Civil society conf l ictsThe Peoples Democratic Par ty in Riau

Volume 2 2012 Issue 3

The emergence of Fundamental Socialism in Riau, Sumatra - Indonesia

Andreas Wimmer, MSc.

Copyight 2012 The Deutsche Asien Stiftung. All rights reserved by the author


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Key Words Militancy in Riau, Revival of communism in Indonesia, militant environmentalism,

anarchism, non-state actors, social media, fundamentalist socialists, neo-communists

For Quote: Andreas Wimmer, Fundamentalism Socialism in Riau; Civil society conflicts The

Peoples Democratic Party in Riau; The emergence of Fundamental Socialism in Riau,

Sumatra Indonesia; Civil Society Development in Indonesia: Examining the

emergence of Fundamental Socialism in Riau, Sumatra Indonesia; The Militancy of

the Peoples Democratic Party in Riau, Indonesia;

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2125755; 7 January 2012;

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/233810739_FUNDAMENTAL_SOCIALIS

M_IN_RIAU_INDONESIA;3 December 2012
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2125755http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2125755http://www.researchgate.net/publication/233810739_FUNDAMENTAL_SOCIALISM_IN_RIAU_INDONESIAhttp://www.researchgate.net/publication/233810739_FUNDAMENTAL_SOCIALISM_IN_RIAU_INDONESIAhttp://www.researchgate.net/publication/233810739_FUNDAMENTAL_SOCIALISM_IN_RIAU_INDONESIAhttp://www.researchgate.net/publication/233810739_FUNDAMENTAL_SOCIALISM_IN_RIAU_INDONESIAhttp://www.researchgate.net/publication/233810739_FUNDAMENTAL_SOCIALISM_IN_RIAU_INDONESIAhttp://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2125755


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Civil Society Development in Indonesia: Examining the emergence of

Fundamental Socialism in Riau, Sumatra - Indonesia

Andreas Wimmer, MSc.

Abstract:

The revival of the old communist ideology in the post-Suharto democratic society in Indonesia hasspawned a renewed fascination with the militant ideas of Trotsky, Marxism/Leninism, and the globalanarchist movement. The resurgence of such extreme political views has been ignored by the politicalcentre and has therefore enjoyed a steady and unchecked growth in popularity. The PRD and itsclones attract a steady flow of young radicals who are enamoured with the romantic notion of thepeoples struggle and are eager to become soldiers in a peoples war to set Indonesia free fromoppression and neo-colonial forces. This being said, while the PRD/STR in Riau likes to claim themantle of neo-socialism/Marxism, they are in fact little more thanposeurs, as they have only a vague

comprehension of the actual philosophies of Marxism and Islam. Nevertheless, the PRD/STR stillqualifies as a radicalized fundamental socialistgroup despite their members lack of comprehensionof the core tenets of their claimed belief.

In Riau, as in other provinces, the political struggle of the main parties created an environment of

politically induced violence, and environmental and social issues are used to promote a new foundpurpose for the old communist ideals. The movement spread rapidly and in Riau alone the PRD nowcomprises an estimated 25,000 members1. The ideals of this neo-communist movement have attractedan emerging group of Indonesians who were in pursuit of capturing local power while in search of analternative individual political purpose. Many of these individuals see themselves as disenfranchised

and feel that the current economic model has failed them. They are therefore pushing for moreaggressive pursuits of change either using the methods of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary

movement2.

The ideology of the PRD is not new nor is it original. It is a regurgitation of an unsolved past and aglorification of the failed communist and socialist ideals that are still promoted by militant Australiansand South American doctrines disseminated through social media, where they are finding fertile soil3.

The appeal of the radical teachings of communism is stronger than that of jihadist, as thedisenfranchised, the fringe, and the poor can associate easier with its cause, its history, and the idea

that violent change is needed to liberate Indonesia from its neo-colonial oppressors. Like its verydistant cousins, the Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) and the Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI),hypothesizing their ideals as being merely symbolic is a miscalculation

4. Militancy is easier to

accept and promote as part of the peoples struggle than democratic forums. The democratic

freedom in the new Indonesia is a double edged sword, as this more open atmosphere allows thesenew players to go unnoticed and unchallenged since the political leadership and the security apparatusdo not comprehend the propensity for violence the new forces embrace.

1Estimates range of the PRD musters 675,000 followers throughout Indonesia reaching the estimate same size

than the PKI in 1966. Activists claim the party aims to recruit and mobilize up to 4 million voters for the 2014

presidential election. This includes SRMI, LMND and other pro-leftist groups. The PRD does however aim to

capture provincial power by 2019. This includes SRMI, LMND and other pro-leftist groups.2http://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-

bangsa;24 June 2012;3http://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-

atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.html;andhttps://www.facebook.com/#!/jaringan.militan;Militant

network; 1 June 20124http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspective/RSIS0672012.pdf;No. 067/2012 dated 18 April 2012
http://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.htmlhttp://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.htmlhttp://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.htmlhttp://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.htmlhttps://www.facebook.com/#!/jaringan.militanhttps://www.facebook.com/#!/jaringan.militanhttps://www.facebook.com/#!/jaringan.militanhttp://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspective/RSIS0672012.pdfhttp://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspective/RSIS0672012.pdfhttp://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspective/RSIS0672012.pdfhttp://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspective/RSIS0672012.pdfhttps://www.facebook.com/#!/jaringan.militanhttp://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.htmlhttp://www.militanindonesia.org/analisa-politik/17-akhir/8306-lenin-parlemen-dan-realitas-obyektif-kritik-atas-ragil-nugroho-dan-martin-suryajaya.htmlhttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsa


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THE EMERGENCE OF THE NEW COMMUNIST AND THE ATTRACTION

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PRD/STR IN RIAU

The development of the Partai Rakyat Demokrat/PRD 5 and Serikat Tani Riau/STR6 is

occurring alongside that of the nascent environmental movement in Indonesia. Although

quickly dismissed as part of the awakening of the civil society movement, the political

agenda and underlying issues surrounding the revival of the PRD in Riau must be viewed

with not merely political motives.

The Badan Kesatuan Bangsa, Politik dan Perlindungan Masyarakat

(Kesbangpolinmas)/Office forNational Unity, Politics and Public Protection termed the PRD

as a neo-communist7movement that penetrated the non-government organizations in Riau.

This raises the question of Who are these neo-communist groups that threaten social unity?

Examination of the neo-communists argument shows that the groups follow a fundamental

socialist8 model that pursues a revolutionary overthrow of the government in hopes of

replacing it with some form of communist governance.

Within the context of Riau, the main focus of this paper, we examined these newly formed

more militant groups that pursue political violence and we evaluated their fascination with

the use of political violence. But before launching into our analysis, we must first list the

actions we reviewed in the context of the claim made by the Kesbangpolinmas. In 2011 and

the first two quarters of 2012, Riau province recorded six (6) acts of arson, one (1) pre-

mediated murder (13 July 2011), one (1) attempted murder, two (2) hunger strikes, and three

(3) attempts to commit a public suicide9

in protests against the state siding with the capital.The pre-meditated murder on 13 July 2011 pushed the movement over the threshold from

being a non-violent movement to a violent one and removed legitimate claims of the group

being a non-violent movement10. The process of self-radicalization was achieved and the

groups ideological and operational state has continuously promoted acts of violence as being

its core method.

The emergance of the new Left in Indonesia is part of the attraction for the communist

diaspora that is keen on reliving the past, the disenfranchised, and the disillusioned growing

population in search of a new meaning. Identifying with the political Left rather than with

5Peoples Democratic Party; successor of the Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI)- Indonesian Communist Party

6State Farmers Union Riau, part of the State Farmers Union (STN)

7http://riauterkini.com/sosial.php?arr=48496; Waspadai LSM Berbau Neokomunis di Riau/ Beware of NGOs

smelling neo-communists in Riau; 27 June 20128http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-

socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/;9http://antarariau.com/berita/20613/seteru-rapp-ancam-bakar-diri ;30 May 2012

10Since the original print in 2012, on 25/26 January 2013 agitated communitiesfirebombed three barges of

Asian Pulp Paper in the straits with the aim to block the traffic off the coast of Pulau Muda and force the

company to agree to 13 demands. Although NGOs are quick to point out the grievances voiced by one village

on the island long standing interaction between members of the PRD now working for Jikalahari/WWF andYouth Group exist supporting the argument that the agitation of the community and encouragement provided

the stimulus for the fire bombing.http://www.riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=55576- 22 January 2013
http://riauterkini.com/sosial.php?arr=48496http://riauterkini.com/sosial.php?arr=48496http://riauterkini.com/sosial.php?arr=48496http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://antarariau.com/berita/20613/seteru-rapp-ancam-bakar-dirihttp://antarariau.com/berita/20613/seteru-rapp-ancam-bakar-dirihttp://antarariau.com/berita/20613/seteru-rapp-ancam-bakar-dirihttp://www.riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=55576http://www.riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=55576http://www.riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=55576http://www.riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=55576http://antarariau.com/berita/20613/seteru-rapp-ancam-bakar-dirihttp://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://riauterkini.com/sosial.php?arr=48496


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militant Jihadism has a much greater attraction since the jihadist cause is derided by much of

the world. It would be difficultand in many cases illegalto recruit supporters and solicit

funds if the group identified itself as a jihadist organization. Nevertheless, we argue that the

fundamental socialists are no less violent than the militant jihadists. Politically, the Left is

globally alive, legitimized as part of mainstream politics, and widely accepted. Therefore,claiming the mantra of a leftist movement opens doors worldwide to donors and supporters

who still yearn for the good old days before communism collapsed in 1991. We observed

the emergence of a new Left in the context of militancy since the group in Riau is openly

associated with a peoples war/peoples struggle concept that is pursuing the extremist

Marxist/Leninist doctrine11offundamentalis sosialis/fundamentalist socialism12.

Operating under the mantle of a Marxist/Leninist doctrine, the Peoples Democratic Party

(PRD)/State Farmers Union in Riau (STR), Sumatra, Indonesia evolved from being a

mediocre political faction engaged in environmental activism to an active small-group,

militant group that committed acts of political violence. The violence was justified under theguise of using Law No. 33 of the 1945 Constitution (33 UUD 1945) as its political manifesto.

In mid-July 2011 the local PRD splinter group produced an 11-page pamphlet calling for the

creation of a new republic pursing a secessionist ideology of gaining true economic and

political freedom from the oppressors of the state and calling for an independent Riau. While

the piece was utopian, it propelled the PRD and its local offspring onto the path of violent

resistance.

We can compare the socialist fundamentalists with the religious fundamentalists and the

cognitive radicalization argument13that states, that the organic reactivity to existential threat

of religious fundamentalism is a form of cognitive radicalization. Replacing religion withsocialism, the emergence of an identical cognitive radicalization that shapes the Riau socialist

groups is present.

Recent academic studies recognize cognitive radicalization as the process through which an

individual adopts ideas that are severely at odds with those of the mainstream, refutes the

legitimacy of the existing social order, and seeks to replace it with a new structure based on a

completely different belief system. Again, all components of this self-radicalization process

are present, including dualism14, paranoia in the group context, and millennialism15. The PRD

11http://links.org.au/node/88;

12http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-

socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/;26 March 2010; Fundamental socialism rejects capitalism and seeks to

abolish and replace it with a form of communism. Both revolutionary socialists and evolutionary socialists can

seek fundamentalist socialism. Marxists use revolution to overthrow capitalism and replace it with a new

system. This system would involve a classless society in which there is common ownership rather than private

property and total social equality to have a substantial equality of outcome.13

Subject presentation 201114

http://www.aw-bc.com/info/todaro_smith/Chapter4.pdf;The postWorld War II literature on economic

development has been dominated by four major and sometimes competing strands of thought: (1) the linear-

stages-of-growth model, (2) theories and patterns of structural change, (3) the international-dependencerevolution, and (4) the neoclassical, free-market counterrevolution. In recent years, an eclectic approach has

emerged that draws on all of these classic theories.
http://links.org.au/node/88http://links.org.au/node/88http://links.org.au/node/88http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.aw-bc.com/info/todaro_smith/Chapter4.pdfhttp://www.aw-bc.com/info/todaro_smith/Chapter4.pdfhttp://www.aw-bc.com/info/todaro_smith/Chapter4.pdfhttp://www.aw-bc.com/info/todaro_smith/Chapter4.pdfhttp://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://www.breakingperceptions.com/political-ideologies-socialism-distinguish-between-fundamentalist-socialism-and-revisionist-socialism/http://links.org.au/node/88


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in Riau under the leadership of Muhammad Riduan and Bambang Aswandi qualify as having

adopted these fundamentalist views.

I. THE SURFACEPublically confused with claims by militant non-government actors, the violent acts are partof restless communities desiring justice. The appearance of communal violence so common

in Indonesia receives little or no attention. Most attention is created by non-governmental

organizations that pursue an NGO agenda with little or no in-depth study of the root causes or

by political pundits focusing on the militancy of the religious groups and actors.

Claims by the NGO community and the media are quick and center on blaming companies,

long standing historical grievances by communities, or corruption by state officials in

pursuit of their ideological goals. Claims such as the human-tiger conflict, inadequacy of the

political and legal framework to secure land tenures, and sustainable environmental

stewardship resulting in great social conflicts are appearing on the surface without anunderstanding of the deep political influencing forces that go beyond the environmental

argument. We found little evidence to support the theory that violent actions associated with

communal violence in Riau are a true reflection of genuine community grievances, rather

they carry more often the signs of deliberate, politically-motivated agitation intertwined with

myriad contributing factors such as fundamental socialism that trigger communal conflict.

II. THE REVIVAL OF THE COMMUNIST / SOCIALIST CAUSEThe renaissanceof the communist/socialist cause and the emergence of the PRD/STR as a

militant force in Riau are not solitary events. Rather, a broader, national context of therevival of the communist struggle with the PRD seeking a new purpose has existed for some

time. Although viewed as politically insignificant in the context of mainstream politics the

two groups move in a parallel and violent trajectory. Both groups attract the larger factions

of the disenfranchised leftists that are emerging in the political landscape in Riau and other

parts of Indonesia.

The attraction of toiling with Lenin, Marx, and the global Left is comparable to the extreme

jihadist splinter groups that attract the disenfranchised to their cause. Politically we place the

Riau-based groups into the fundamentalist socialist milieu with the aim of replacing the

current democratically elected system with some form of communist regime.

Historically, the concept of communism has not been well understood and has been largely

forgotten by Asian society. This is because the political educational process has completely

eradicated communism from the mainstream educational program. However, since Asia is

enjoying a high level of IT penetration, new technology platforms and social media are

accelerating the spread of traditional fundamental socialism ideologies, thereby indoctrinating

15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennialism; Millennial social movements are a specific form of

Millenarianism that are based on some concept of a one thousand year cycle. Sometimes the two terms areused as synonyms, but this is not entirely accurate for a purist. Millennial social movements need not be

religious, but they must have a vision of anapocalypse that can be utopian ordystopian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennialismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennialismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennialismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennialism


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large numbers of fresh converts from the ranks of the already disenfranchised. The new

attraction to the Left can be compared to the early stages of the development cycle of

jihadists. Due to the political taboo associated with it, the subject of communism does not

receive any attention by academia, policy officials, or the security apparatus to address the

growing movement and address the historical baggage of Indonesian society.

While the jihadist movements lifecycle is in a downward spiral/holding pattern as a result of

effective counter terror efforts in the national, regional, and global context of Indonesia, the

leftist militant factions are in the early development stages of their violent lifecycle. The

Indonesian Left remerged in the national and local arena with the belief that the struggle for

liberation from the oppressors is still not completed and today is a continuation of a

nationwide struggle that was halted in 1965.

Driven by an association of nationalistic, populist politics pursued by GERINDA, the

coalition partner of PDI-P of the former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, the nationalistic

Right of retired General Prawobo is now bedfellows of the political Left. Reformed after the

last electoral meltdown in which they lost all parliamentarian seats, the PRD maintains a

loose coalition with the Justice Party/Partai Kedilan (PK)16. In 2005, the PRD split into the

Peoples Liberation Party (PLP) following a moderate path under the Golkar leadership of

former Vice-President Yusuf Kalla. The PRD faction joining the GERINDA/PDI-P fray

distinctively adopted a fundamentalist position on the outer Left of the neo-socialist spectrum.

Its ideology, doctrine, and approaches are located in the fundamental socialist spectrum of the

Marxist movement. Since 2005 the Riau splinter, although part of the national structure, has

mutated into a mirror image of other localized splinter factions that pursue militant actions

appearing in other provinces of Indonesia.

But the PRD in Riau is not merely another homegrown extremist group.

Indirect affiliation, contact, and constant interaction with the global digital socialist world

make the PRD part of the global village. Evidence for this broader effort in the Indonesian

context can be found in the public statements made by the militant Left in Australia 17

suggesting that the violent demonstrations in Batam, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan are part of

this national agenda of the leftist coalition18. The PRD, according to its own estimates, has

mustered in Riau some 20,000 voters and is targeting 150,000 more to enter the upcoming

governor election in Riau. Nationwide the PRD mobilizes in all of the 26 provinces with the

ultimate goal of entering mainstream politics in 2019. Since politics are a numbers game the

PRD is aiming to increase its estimated size of 675,000 followers throughout Indonesia to

roughly 4.1 million party members. The current size of the PRD is now close to the size of

the PKI in 1965, which shows that the past carries the attraction of the future.

16Was reconstituted as Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) in April 2002

17http://directaction.org.au/tens_of_thousands_rally_across_indonesia_for_may_day;11 June 2012

18http://directaction.org.au/issue37/indonesia_strikes_and_protests_as_discontent_rises; The November

2011 demonstration in Batam were an organized protest by KSPPSI (the Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja SeluruhIndonesia), FSPMSI (Federasi Serikat Pekerja Metal Seluruh Indonesia) and KSBSI (Konfederasi Serikat Buruh

Seluruh Indonesia).
http://directaction.org.au/tens_of_thousands_rally_across_indonesia_for_may_dayhttp://directaction.org.au/tens_of_thousands_rally_across_indonesia_for_may_dayhttp://directaction.org.au/tens_of_thousands_rally_across_indonesia_for_may_dayhttp://directaction.org.au/issue37/indonesia_strikes_and_protests_as_discontent_riseshttp://directaction.org.au/issue37/indonesia_strikes_and_protests_as_discontent_riseshttp://directaction.org.au/issue37/indonesia_strikes_and_protests_as_discontent_riseshttp://directaction.org.au/issue37/indonesia_strikes_and_protests_as_discontent_riseshttp://directaction.org.au/tens_of_thousands_rally_across_indonesia_for_may_day


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But within the PRD and in Riau in general the socio-political setting of subversive-motivated

militant/extremist cells has formed and operates with impunity to pursue violence and

militancy as part of the struggle for recognition. Adding to the complexities of the PRD/STR

in Riau is the targeting of businesses. This may appear to be motivated by socio-economic

reasons on the surface, but the subversive nature and true political motivation of thePRD/STR in Riau, quickly dismissed by the uninformed observer since the PRD/STR actors

are cooperating with a foreign environmental agenda, is misleading. Packaging the violence

as a vertical conflict against the state, industry is referred to in PRD lingua Franca as the

oppressors. Therefore, the targeting of industry is straight out the Trotskyist 1932 19

playbook, which preached targeting the bourgeoisie owners of industry.

We viewed the groups evolutionary development based on common drivers of subversive

movements that require knowledge, intent, and resources. In our view all three of these

elements are in the well-advanced stages. To argue our point further, the group qualifies as

non-state actors that are demanding greater attention and getting it20

. Quiggin writes, Non-state actors can cause events to happen which significantly alter the policies of states.

Quiggin states further, aggressive environmental groups such as Greenpeace have focused

attention on, and have been responsible for state law changes or modifications. Political

scientists and sociologists have noted the changes since the 1980s many non-state actors use

the issue of local identityas a common connecting thread resulting frequently in distancing

themselves from their state identity and choosing to identify with non-state groups instead

(Quiggin 2007).

The PRD/STR is a hybrid. While the groups in Riau associate themselves with non-state

actors, i.e. the militant environmental movements like Friends of the Earth/WALHI they alsoreach out to the militant Islamic groups like, PKS21, HTI, HMI-MPO, KAMMI, while giving

their primary loyalty and obedience to the political ideology of the reminiscent leftovers of

the Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI) rekindled in the PRD pursuit of 33 UUD 1945 (Law No.

33). We could argue that therefore the cause is political however we see this motive only as a

reason to pursue a militant ideology pursued by the radicalized actors.

At the same time they embrace foreign ideologies such as the U.K.-based Forest Peoples

Program, which promotes aggressively the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) that

results in individuals (and groups) distancing themselves from the state and questioning the

concept of laws and local regulations while claiming cultural discrimination. This complexity

of irrelevance, local politics, and zealous pursuit of a Marxist/Leninist doctrine converging

with a global environmental agenda provides the ideal conditions for the subversive nature of

the group to flourish.

19http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/index.htm; The transitional program (1938); The turn is

now to the proletariat, i.e., chiefly to its revolutionary vanguard.20

Thomas Quiggin, Seeing the Invisible, National Security Intelligence in an Uncertain Age21PRD leadership in Riau stated on 26 May 2012 interview to attract PKS voter support for upcoming governor

race.
http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/index.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/index.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/index.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/index.htm


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The evolution of the militants from political activists to militant actors executing direct

actions has materialized but is not yet complete. The metamorphosis continues since no

counter by the state, authorities, or the public exists. The vacuum of a rejectionist position by

society allows the actors to feel empowered and justified. The development is not unlike any

other militant movement, hence the (hard) lessons learned from countering the jihadists applyto these militants as well. Viewed in the context of intent, knowledge, and resources we

assess the PRD/STR splinters as displaying the following components characteristic of the

trademark of a militant, fundamental socialist group:

II.1 POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

In Riau at the village level the PRD has formed Leadership Committees (KPDe) and an

informal cadre of community members that are regularly indoctrinated by political education.

Structures such as the Peoples Academy (Akademi Rakyat) are replications of Islamic

Pesantren to recruit the young. More studies are needed to address the ideological education

of the PRD educational structures. The PRD at the national level consists of a Central

Committee with equal representatives in the provinces. In Riau Bambang Aswandi, a zealous

young activist is the current General Secretary of the Marxist PRD. The structure transcends

to the provincial level but is aligned in traditional communist structures rather than

democratically elected formats.

The function of the public, visual, leader is a distinctive feature of the neo-

communist/fundamental socialist structure. He is represented by Muhammad Riduan22. The

exact relationship between the provincial and national leadership and its command and

control is not entirely clear and will require additional research; however, evidence exists thatsome of the major actions involve central committee approval. Local actions in Riau fall

somewhat into the strategic objectives of the PRD23when as recently as of 24 June 2012 the

chairman of the PRD stated, the PRD will continue to move, either using the methods of

parliamentary and extra-parliamentary movement to restore Pancasila as the state

philosophy and restore the 1945 Constitution as the basis for the nation. "We call on all

components of upholding the sovereignty of the nation unite and drive out the evil forces in

our country. The extra-parliamentary movement can be translated into direct action to

achieve a fundamental socialist regime change.

The PRD is a learning organization and compares past leadership models with concurrentpolitical groups such as the PKS. In Lenin versus PKS the PRD activists state, the PKS

apparently perceives Lenin's treatise. They adapt to the Earth Indonesia. Ordinary of course.

Another difference is the soil water content. Order and the ruthless soldiers, forcing the rebel

22Former member of PKS, HTI and Friends of the Earth joining the PRD after he found that Walhi/FOEI was

not action direct enough. The activist was detained for six months for violent demonstrations.23http://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-

bangsa;24 June 2012
http://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsahttp://www.gatra.com/nasional-cp/1-nasional/14606-prd-amandemen-uud-45-picu-berbagai-persoalan-bangsa


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organizations [went] underground. PKS embryos, [like the] Tarbiyah24group, gather the

masses through halaqah (discussion groups), as well as clandestine moves.25

II.2 SUBVERSIVE LANGUAGE INSTILLING VIOLENCE

The political language used by the group includes both militant calls for action that reflecttraditional socialist, communist militant language as well as symbolic affiliation with jihadist

causes. The use of symbolic affiliation with the cause, such as Marx, Lenin, the Red Army,

the crushing of U.S. imperialistic forces, references to the PKI, and communist causes are

widely in use.

The use of the Internet and social sites, particularly Facebook, are highways to disseminate

and indoctrinate the increasingly media savvy Indonesians and disseminate the neo-socialist

ideology. The message is simple, comprehensible, and provides the insulated individual a

sense of global belonging. Although we found in our research a heavy concentration of young,

middle class Indonesians who associate themselves with the socialist ideology, the averageelder middle class person is equally present in the social domain participating in the social

space debating, contributing, disseminating, and participating in the lively socialist debate.

Association with the cause is often executed symbolically, like the use of a jihadist flag and

the communist symbols. Indoctrinated language and socialist political ideology of

fundamentalism are widespread and ongoing. Recent publications compare Lenin with the

PKS26and lessons for the organization (PRD) to learn such as, only the light [is a] guide on

building a political organization that is not an amateur. Because the situation cannot breathe

freely, then the organization must be strict with discipline. The goal is that the ruler is not

easy to hit. There are cells that interlock.The PRD stated further, Tarbiyah is not open, but

moved like an octopus, [it] masters the campus [and] institutions, make the mosque as a

place of consolidation.They do not merely speak of heaven, hell, but also political speech

criticizing the New Order. Note Greg Fealy, et al, in a book Zealous Democrats: Islamism

and Democracy are Egypt, Indonesia and Turky, showed at the end of the 1990s there were

about 10-15 percent of students who are part of the Tarbiyah. Not surprising when Soeharto

giddy, [the] Tarbiyah group was ready. Not wanting to take a stand like the Mensheviks who

unwilling to take part in the revolution of 1905, and once again follow Lenin, the group then

formed KAMMI Tarbiyah (Indonesian Muslim Student Action Union). The example shows

that the PRD is a learning organization that builds relationships and understands thesignificance of structural development of an organization.

24The Muslim American Society translates Tarbiyah as education and growth according to Islamic standards;

http://www.mascalifornia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=185;25

http://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-

lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-

feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail;9 May 201226

http://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-

feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail;13 May 2012
http://www.mascalifornia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=185http://www.mascalifornia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=185http://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://indoprogress.com/2012/05/13/pks-dan-lenin/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+indoprogress-feed+%28IndoPROGRESS%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mailhttp://www.mascalifornia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=185


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The second type of communication is addressed directly to the followers of the groups. In

most of the communications by key leaders like Muhammad Riduan the use of death, fight to

the death, fight peoples oppressors, anti-colonialism, and similar language is well

documented in the public domain. As recently as 4 May 2012 in a businessindonesia.com

interview the link to children will continue the fight as long as they can raise a machete,was just one of many examples of the subversive language that promotes, hate, violence, and

promotes the fascination with death. On 24 June 2012 the leaders of PRD/STR called for an

act of collective suicide, titled grilling, by volunteers27. The action was coordinated by

Bambang Aswandi, Rinaldi S. Sati, and Muhammad Riduan. The call for action reflected a

nihilist narrative in pursuit of a fundamentalist socialist ideology that is similar in narrow

interpretation to Marxist/Leninism like the jihadist doctrine. It believes that all democratic

systems have failed, the system of governance is betraying the people, and armed and violent

resistance to replace democracy with some form of communism is the only solution.

II.3 ACTION AND USE OF VIOLENCE

The application of direct action (blockade, arson, etc.) and the agitation of political violence

is a constant factor in Riau. Most of the acts of communal violence that include a presence of

the LMND, FNPBI, STN, SRMI or PRD are coordinated provincial and regional efforts to

destabilize the local communities 28 . In Riau the line between social and environmental

campaigns and political agitation is blurred by the interconnectivity of the actor node and

networks that pursue different agendas but are interacting through a cauldron of political,

social and environmental groups and affiliation. The network is not linear but rather amorphic

and continuously evolving.

Reviewed from a more critical perspective the coordinated actions by Jikalahari (a

coordination body funded by Friends of the Earth, SIEMENPUU of Finland, WWF from

Switzerland, the Rainforest Action Network, and Greenpeace) and the linkage to the PRD

and individual actors such as Bambang Aswandi, the Head of the PRD in Riau, as well as the

classmates Usman Hariansyah, the Executive Director of Friends of the Earth Riau and

Muhammad Riduan, ex-officio PRD and now chairman of the STR are a constant factor that

blurs the distinction and raises the question if the actual impetus of the militancy is a result of

the dangerous mix of the militant Left using the environmental cause to gain credibility or the

environmental Left using the militants to deceive the public by claiming the fundamental

militants are part of a social issue and industry is to blame.

In either instance the environmental movement and the political Left are pursuing a

dangerous game of chicken that counts on the government backing down and in which the

Left counts on violence shocking the public and the political leaders into submission. So far

the gamble has paid off, but the propensity for failure is high leaving the militants with very

27http://mimbarriau.com/2012-06/air-mata-tumpah-di-merbau-10-relawan-bakar-diri-dilepas-warga/ ;25

June 201228

http://www.riaulive.com/masyarakat-pulau-padang-lebih-baik-mati-berjuang-daripada-mati-ditindas/ ;4 July

2012
http://mimbarriau.com/2012-06/air-mata-tumpah-di-merbau-10-relawan-bakar-diri-dilepas-warga/http://mimbarriau.com/2012-06/air-mata-tumpah-di-merbau-10-relawan-bakar-diri-dilepas-warga/http://mimbarriau.com/2012-06/air-mata-tumpah-di-merbau-10-relawan-bakar-diri-dilepas-warga/http://www.riaulive.com/masyarakat-pulau-padang-lebih-baik-mati-berjuang-daripada-mati-ditindas/http://www.riaulive.com/masyarakat-pulau-padang-lebih-baik-mati-berjuang-daripada-mati-ditindas/http://www.riaulive.com/masyarakat-pulau-padang-lebih-baik-mati-berjuang-daripada-mati-ditindas/http://www.riaulive.com/masyarakat-pulau-padang-lebih-baik-mati-berjuang-daripada-mati-ditindas/http://mimbarriau.com/2012-06/air-mata-tumpah-di-merbau-10-relawan-bakar-diri-dilepas-warga/


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little alternatives but to further accelerate violent means that drift the group closer to the

domestic terror spectrum of political non-state actors.

The single violent act that defines and separates criminal actions from domestic terrorism has

been committed. We found that both action (homicide on 13 July 2011) and doctrinal pursuit

of fundamental socialism is present that defines the PRD in Riau. With the death of an

innocent employee the threshold from non-violence becoming a violent movement was

reached. We found that the use of violence was deliberately designed to terrorize the state

into submission29. The doctrine transcends throughout the communications, statements, and

publications circulated by the leadership of the PRD in Riau.

The killing of the contractor on 13 July 2011 in a remote location in Pulau Padang was a

premeditated act. Actors were mobilized to conduct arson in Pulau Rupat and Pulau Padang.

Other questionable fires occurred in Kampar that were associated with the company the

splinter was targeting. The formation of a 10-man suicide commando team to set themselves

alight in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta is only a manifestation of the ongoing self-

radicalization of the group as a whole30.

The use of arson as a tool to express the resistance of the people against the neo -liberal,

oppressive government is the preferred method of resistance since the local security

institutions are incapable of comprehending the link between leftist politically motivated

violence and arson is a tool of resistance.

II.4 GROWTH

The PRD in Riau has grown in numbers and group affiliation. Currently the PRD is able tomuster approximately 20,000 members of various factions. The exact breakdown of LMND,

STR, SRMI, and other factions will require some more detailed research, but the PRD is able

to draw from a large pool of self-radicalized, disenfranchised youth and students with a

natural tendency to embrace willingly a militant, new, and appealing ideology that in fact has

its roots in Indonesia, is permissible by law, and appeals to the poor and under-privileged.

For 2014 the target is to achieve 150,000 members in Riau alone. In interviews the PRD

leadership in Riau has stated that a coalition with PKS or groups like the fundamentalist

Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) is being sought to bolster the voting ranks. This may not be

viewed with equal euphoria by these organizations but discussions and joint actions with

Islamic splinter groups such as KAMMI and HMI-MPO are a regular event as a matter of

common support for each others cause. The GERINDA affiliation remains firm. Within the

district growth we have seen the PRD/STR growing from obscurity to four (4) districts in

Riau. We have also seen expansion in the South and North of Pekanbaru, such as Dumai,

29Interview with Jikalahari media/campaign manager Made Ali who stated that the use of suggestive violence

is part of the strategy to mobilize the public with a type of shock and awe strategy of to stimulate political

change.30http://riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=48668;3 July 2012
http://riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=48668http://riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=48668http://riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=48668http://riauterkini.com/hukum.php?arr=48668


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Rumbai targeting the communities surrounding the oil fields and in the south aligning the

communities in the Pulau Muda and Teluk Meranti district.

II.5 LOGISTICS

The logistics are less monetarily demanding compared to traditional terrorist organizationssince the main weapon is arson, demonstrations, and violent brawls. Funding of the groups

comes from a variety of financial sources, is usually unaccounted for, and is not publically

transparent. Collection from communities to pay a peoples tax were reported and up to

10,000 IDR per head has been collected. Anecdotal evidence suggests political funding as

well, as wealthy individuals have contributed to the funding of the groups up to 25 million

IDR (an estimated 3,000 USD).

We must now differentiate between the two main antagonistic factions within the militants.

First, the PRD Direct Action Teams (DATs) and the secondly, the more common mass

demonstrations.

The DATs often operate within the context of a larger demonstration, although in Riau

particularly in the Kampar, Meranti, Pelalawan area we have seen the single-arson type of

attack being the predominant method. The arson attacks have evolved from demonstrative

throwing of Molotov-cocktail types of design to a deliberate targeting with the objective of

completely rendering the target inoperable and inflicting complete destruction. An increase in

sophistication from partial destruction to total destruction was observed, thereby indicating

that the organization is a learning organization. But the funding for these actions is relatively

small and handled within the financial capabilities of the commune.

Anecdotal evidence shows that the PRD uses various activists to teach, recruit, and agitate

arson as a preferred method of resistance. Activists travelling from Jakarta to lecture

resistance were associated with subsequent acts of demonstrations in the communities that

targeted primarily government buildings such as district offices of agricultural or forestry

officials. Threats and intimidation by the community, cleverly concealed on the surface and

mistaken as community disputes, are results of misguided agitation and community

empowerment policies. The funding for these activists is coming from central funds of the

national PRD coffers.

II.6 RECRUITMENT & AGITATION

Recruitment is ongoing and continuous. The recruitment focus includes student groups and

student activist groups managed by a small cadre of activists embedded in University Riau

(UR) and University Islam Riau (UIR), farmers, the poor, and homeless children. The

recruitment usually takes place through organizations such as student journalist groups or

student advocacy groups. The recruit will first be exposed to the ideological debate that

follows on with indoctrination. Activists reviewed showed a pre-conditioned experience in

other groups ranging from the Islamic group to NGOs and often switch over due to

school/classmates and the desire to be more action oriented. Since the appearance of Bahana


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14

Mahsiswa 31 32 with the student magazine being managed by a PRD activist the Riau

University (UNRI) saw an increase in violent action on the campus that resulted in recent

damage of university property.

Whereas mass demonstrations consists of a wide array of groups, affiliations, and thematic

actions of social and environmental causes, the PRD activists regularly submerge themselves

in demonstrations to give their cause political credibility and stay within the mainstream of

their 33 UUD 1945 message. But the message remains part of the national and global

Marxist doctrine33. Demonstrations frequently target government and private companies and

follow the theme of the overarching campaign of, for example, a civil society or

environmental group.

The recruitment into the PRD is a loose network of schoolmates, personal relationships, and

next of kin. However, the inner circle of the group is a tight knit unit of activists known to

each other for decades. Like any other militant group the group cohesion is built on the trust

of the collective. A firm indoctrinated belief in the Marxist/Leninist-socialist ideology is

playing the part of the recruitment into the organization often attracted via next of kin or

classmates.

But compared to the jihadist model the PRD is not a purist organization. It embraces the

Islamic fringe, Muslim ultra-conservatives, the poor, students, middle class, farmers, and is

part of the national agenda as long as the PDI-P is the coalition partner of GERINDA. The

ideological goal of seizing power, as utopian and far-fetched as this may sound, is the

common denominator. In the context of Indonesia, the fundamentalist socialist agenda does

in fact embrace religious groups as part of the process to capture power. This is distinctivelydifferent from the purist jihadist perspective which sees the l leftist only as a distant fringe in

order to support the jihadist groups in an auxiliary function or due to the actors have prior

knowledge or are kin34.

The common denominator in both DAT and mass demonstrations is the use of violence and

the desire to inflict injury or death. Since the 25 December 201135clashes in Bima, NTB, the

phrase Bimakan is part the activists lingua Franca. In early December 2011 a more violent

scenario played out in Mesuji36, Lampung that resulted in beheadings and shocked the nation.

Although the outcome was quickly blamed on company disputes, the evidence of the

superficial assessments and a structured process of constructive agitation of the communitiesby leftist, anti-development ideologies appeared in the public domain in the post-incident

scenario as calls for agrarian reforms.

31http://bahanamahasiswa.com/

32http://suarariau.com/pekanbaru/55-riau/3507-kronologis-kerusuhan-kongres-mahasiswa-universitas-riau ;

15 June 201233

http://www.marxist.com/;andhttp://www.marxist.com/website-of-marxists-in-pakistan-a-success.htm;34

Interview the research specialist in Singapore 12 January 201235

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-

company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007;28 December 2011; the demonstration includes36http://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-

jiwa.html;18 December 2011
http://bahanamahasiswa.com/http://bahanamahasiswa.com/http://bahanamahasiswa.com/http://suarariau.com/pekanbaru/55-riau/3507-kronologis-kerusuhan-kongres-mahasiswa-universitas-riauhttp://suarariau.com/pekanbaru/55-riau/3507-kronologis-kerusuhan-kongres-mahasiswa-universitas-riauhttp://suarariau.com/pekanbaru/55-riau/3507-kronologis-kerusuhan-kongres-mahasiswa-universitas-riauhttp://www.marxist.com/http://www.marxist.com/http://www.marxist.com/http://www.marxist.com/website-of-marxists-in-pakistan-a-success.htmhttp://www.marxist.com/website-of-marxists-in-pakistan-a-success.htmhttp://www.marxist.com/website-of-marxists-in-pakistan-a-success.htmhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007http://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-jiwa.htmlhttp://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-jiwa.htmlhttp://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-jiwa.htmlhttp://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-jiwa.htmlhttp://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-jiwa.htmlhttp://www.sumbarpost.com/berita-469-misteri-dibalik-tragedi-mesuji-lampung-yang-memakan-korban-jiwa.htmlhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/deaths-escalate-protest-against-aussie-mine-company/story-e6frg9df-1226231647007http://www.marxist.com/website-of-marxists-in-pakistan-a-success.htmhttp://www.marxist.com/http://suarariau.com/pekanbaru/55-riau/3507-kronologis-kerusuhan-kongres-mahasiswa-universitas-riauhttp://bahanamahasiswa.com/


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The logistics required is often not more than SMS messages from activists that encourage

local communities to rise against the perceived injustices done by corrupt officials or

managers of companies. The provision of a few plastic bottles of gasoline is widely available,

so are weapons of common agricultural use.

The use of firearms is also a distinctive element in the fundamentalist belief to bear arms to

defend the homeland against foreign oppressors and neo-colonialist forces. The Direct

Action Teams use converted high pressurized air rifles that shoot black-powder charges made

out of home-made metal bolts. The Riau based PRD Direct Action cell has access to home-

made weapons that are able to apply deadly force. We believe at least two such weapons

were used in the pre-meditated killing of a 30-year old father of a small child working as a

contractor in Pulau Padang in 2011.

Arson is becoming more sophisticated. Molotov cocktails are usually prepared in advance,

and target location and security is assessed prior to the action. In all six arson cases in 2011

an evolutionary pattern can be seen ranging from uncontrolled throws of Molotov cocktails to

more sophisticated targeting of the engine compartment and fuel cells designed to

permanently disable the targeted equipment.

We estimate the operational budget locally ranging from a few hundred USD dollars (in

Indonesian currency) to a maximum of 2,500 USD or less. National demonstrations are

usually calculated between 50,000150,000 IDR per day.

II.7 POLITICAL EDUCATION & BUILDING THE CADRE

The educational structure of building an educational system that supports the future of thePRD is being created. Akademi Raykat (AKAR) represents this structure. The school is

designed to attract the young, the poor, and the disenfranchised to provide an educational

avenue as early as pre-school. This is a similar evolutionary process as the jihadist movement

underwent.

Building up the youth and future young cadre plays an important role in the development of

the fundamentalist socialist structure. The recruitment of the young provides a long term view

on building the group for the 2019 general elections, but at the same time identifies future

leaders that are able to rise through the ranks or if required be selected for Direct Action

Teams (DATs). More research on the educational structure, teachings, and strategic

orientation of the teachings should be undertaken.

II.8 THE PRD NETWORK IN RIAU

The PRD in Riau is affiliated with a consortium of leftist groups. These include the student

movement, labor union FNBPI, an ideological central committee JAKER, the State Farmers

Union STN, the LMND (The Democratic Student League), the STR (State Farmers Union-

Riau part of the National State Farmers Union), and the media arm

www.bikarionline.com,and in Riau Bahana Mahsiswa.
http://www.bikarionline.com/http://www.bikarionline.com/http://www.bikarionline.com/


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The group was initially formed by Rinaldi S. Sati, who is today the special advisor to Mrs.

Intsiawati Ayus member of the Riau DPA in Jakarta. She has supported the political

militancy of the groups in Riau throughout her political career. The militants leadership

includes, Bambang Aswandi, Head of the PRD in Riau; his girlfriend Dessry Kurniawati;

Muhammad Riduan, now head of the State Farmers Union-Riau (STR) part of the NationalFarmers Union (STN); Sutarno; Yahya, Muhammad Riduans brother; and Usman

Hariansyah, the Executive Director of Friends of the Earth/Walhi as long-time friend of the

PRD leadership. Others include the spouse of Muhammad Riduan participating in the

mobilization of woman in the community; Loevina, and Made Ali of the PRD media team

but now embedded in Jikalahari; Bahana Mahsiswa (a university media outlet); and Aang

Ananda Suherman officially operating in the Riau Corruption Trial (RCT). Positioned as a

civil society group the actors are, however, representing Marxist fundamentalism doctrine.

This is some of the core of the PRD/STR in Riau that openly agitate, mobilize, plan, and plot

violent actions.

The Direct Action Teams are drawn from the agitated farmers and individuals in the

communities, namely the villages of Lukit, Bagan Melibur, and Mengkirau. Direct Action

Activists (DAAs) are joining actions upon being called on by the leadership of the PRD/STR

structure. In the past, coordinated actions from the National Farmers Union were supported

by Greenpeace, WALHI/FOEI, JMGR, Telapak/EIA, the River Defender Team, Kabut Riau,

and others under the guise of environmental, anti-corruption, and other civil society issues.

But the ideologically repackaged Marxist/Leninist doctrine of the PRD/STR under the title

socialism enjoys foreign support. Influences from South America, the Australian Left, and

from within the Islamic militancy are ever present. Muhammad Riduan was a follower ofPKS and HTI (Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia) before joining Walhi/FOEI and switching over to a

more direct action oriented group, the PRD. Its millennium cognition can be summarized as

our cause is sacred, theirs is evil. We are righteous; they are wicked. We are innocent, they

are guilty. We are the victims, they are the victimizers.(A. Beck)37. The transcendence of

this mindset is ever present within the groups behavior and demands since it includes

collectivism (us vs. them), power distance (inspire to follow Chavez, Marx, etc.) and

uncertainty avoidance (the extent of a member of a culture to feel threatened by ambiguous or

unknown situations). The latter tends to promote xenophobia and intolerance and represents

fundamentalist outlooks.

37http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_T._Beck;He is widely regarded as the father of cognitive therapy, and

his pioneering theories are widely used in the treatment of clinical depression. Beck also developedself-report

measuresof depression and anxiety includingBeck Depression Inventory(BDI),Beck Hopelessness Scale,Beck

Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS),Beck Anxiety Inventory(BAI), and Beck Youth Inventories. He is the PresidentEmeritus of theBeck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

and the Honorary President of the Academy of

Cognitive Therapy, which certifies qualified cognitive therapists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_T._Beckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_T._Beckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_T._Beckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-report_inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-report_inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-report_inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-report_inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Depression_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Depression_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Depression_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Hopelessness_Scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Hopelessness_Scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Hopelessness_Scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Anxiety_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Anxiety_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Anxiety_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Institute_for_Cognitive_Behavior_Therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Institute_for_Cognitive_Behavior_Therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Institute_for_Cognitive_Behavior_Therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Institute_for_Cognitive_Behavior_Therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Institute_for_Cognitive_Behavior_Therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Anxiety_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Hopelessness_Scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Depression_Inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-report_inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-report_inventoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_therapyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_T._Beck


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III. CONCLUSIONSWe conclude that the militant Riau-based faction of the PRD/STR is, despite its basic rhetoric,

a fundamentalist group. Their messages contain continuous references to socialist,

communist/Marxist doctrinal beliefs, mixed with a dosage of nationalism and religious

fundamentalism, as well as populist current themes that appear on the surface to be

environmental or localized social issues.

But when stripped away the actors of the PRD/STR in Riau are a self-radicalized, home-

grown domestic militant group. It has pursued and as of 1 July 2012 continues to promote a

climate conducive to violent action that has included arson, homicide, and now public ritual

suicide. Muhammad Riduan has emerged as a fundamentalist socialist cult leader who is

compliant with the groups doctrine, suppresses dissent (traitors of the people), and

devaluates others. His and the groups prejudices qualify for a cognitively radicalized wider

culture causing a mutation to violence. Living on the insulated enclave of Pulau Padang has

contributed to the real world violence that is unlikely to cease.

the emergence of fundamental socialism in riau, sumatra – indonesia

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