Former Extremists Parade During Indonesia's National Police Day

Former members of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) extremist group participated in a parade during the commemoration of Indonesia's National Police Day (Hari Bhayangkara) in Cikeas, Bogor. The ex-members, clad in white robes and peci caps, marched in an orderly fashion carrying the Indonesian flag.

Their participation was part of a larger parade involving various civil society groups, including online motorcycle taxi drivers, community organizations, youth groups, labor confederations, and scouts. The event showcased the police's capabilities, featuring demonstrations from the Brimob special forces, personnel drops, hostage rescue simulations, and a parade of operational vehicles.

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The community is the true strength of the Polri, and security and safety are a shared task.

Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir, Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, explained that involving former JI members was a strategic move by the police to strengthen community ties. "The community is the true strength of the Polri (Indonesian National Police), and security and safety are a shared task," Isir stated in a written release.

This initiative aligns with previous efforts by the police. Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo had previously claimed that the police successfully persuaded approximately 8,000 former JI members to return to Indonesia's fold. These efforts reportedly employed a "soft approach" and deradicalization methods, leading to the dissolution declaration by 8,315 former JI members who pledged loyalty to the Republic of Indonesia. The police also collaborated with religious and community leaders to encourage former terrorism convicts to reaffirm their loyalty to the nation.

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Successfully encouraged the declaration of dissolution by 8,315 former Jamaah Islamiyah members who pledged loyalty and returned to the embrace of the NKRI.