The Polemic of Ahmadiyah Community Existence in Tasikmalaya City, Indonesia: Case Study of Religious Freedom Conflict

The problem of religious freedom is a problem that is still hampering the dynamics of society, especially for the Ahmadiyah followers in Tasikmalaya city. At least, there are two problems that can be asked in this research. First, how is the socio-religious dynamics of Tasikmalaya city people towards the emergence and existence of Ahmadiyah so far. Conflicts and violence often occur along with the emergence of Ahmadiyah in Tasikmalaya since the early20th century. Vandalism incidents of people's homes, sealing the places of worship, and persecution of Ahmadiyah followers have adorned their lives, particularly after the reformation era. In the Tasikmalaya city itself, it has happened several times and many popular incidentwere the closing of an orphanage, attack onAhmadiyah-owned building in Nagarawangi, and the prohibition of Ahmadiyah children from attending Madrasah Diniyah. Second, how the government formulates policies to address the conflict and its resolution from academic point of view. The method used in this article iscritical historical method with two types of sources, namely primary and secondary. For primary sources, this article takes data from interviews with few informants in Tasikmalaya city and contemporary news, while secondary sources rely on literature studies. The analysis shows that the Indonesian government's decision to freeze Ahmadiyah activities through Three Ministerial Decree dated 9 June 2008 invited reactions from Islamic groups. Liberals and moderates declared the decision was unfair, while fundamentalists wanted a total ban. The central government's decision was also followed by the issuance of local government policies. The conclusion states that differences in interpretation of Islamic teachings are the root of a long conflict between Ahmadiyah and general Muslims in Tasikmalaya city. The best attitude to respond the different religious paradigms should not be anarchic actions, but rather by presenting rational arguments and better persuasive efforts. To be officially accepted as part of the Tasikmalaya city community, it seems that the Ahmadiyah still have a long way to go.