Temania

[Wu Han]

News | Temania
Ahmadi clerics, community leaders organize political party in Temania
It is yet to be seen how the one-party state will respond to the new political formation, led by influential religious teacher Ahmad Fadhlurrahman Santoso



Ahmad Fadhlurrahman Santoso, addressing his followers at his mosque in the outskirts of Redekarta, Temania

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10 April 5710 – Ahmadi religious teachers, clerics, and their supporters convened in Redekarta at the mosque of Ahmad Fadhlurrahman Santoso to officially announce the formation of a new political organization in Temania. The People’s Republic of Temania, home to roughly one in six of the world’s Ahmadis, has been a one-party state under the rule of the People’s National Socialist Party (PNSR) since the “National People’s Revolution” of 5485, which consolidated power under a socialist political structure.

The Pan-Temanian Ahmadi Front (Barisan Jemaah Ahmadi Se-Temania), stylized as BERJAMA, is intended to be a broad political vehicle representing the mainstream of Temanian society. In its founding charter, the party defines itself as rooted in moderation, opposed to fundamentalism, committed to pluralism, and guided by the principles of Ahmadi democracy. Though the party is grounded in Ahmadi principles, membership is open to all Temanians regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or gender. The party's charter outlines six key principles, namely:

• Unity and freedom for the Ahmadi community (ummah), at and home and abroad
  
• The strengthening of the Ahmadi religion, and the maintenance of harmony between the different religions in Temania
  
• Democratic national governance, with respect for the dignity of life and the equality of all before the law
  
• The full inclusion of the ummah in national development, towards building a society which is developed, intelligent, just, and which contributes to world peace based on the values of Ahmadism.
  
• Clean, transparent, and open governance through the complete eradication of patronage, corruption, and cronyism
  
• The creation of a socially just economic system, based on Ahmadi principles, in order to eradicate poverty and unemployment, improve the prosperity of all elements of society through high value-added growth and development, while prohibiting exploitation and all forms of usury.
  

The formation of the BERJAMA represents the culmination of a growing desire among Ahmadi clerics, particularly within the Persatuan Ulama Ahmadi Temania (PUAT; "Union of the Temanian Ahmadi Ulama") – the largest Ahmadi organization in the world – to formalize a united Ahmadi political organization in "constructive dialogue" with the PNSR. While BERJAMA has been careful not to present itself as an overtly oppositional force to the ruling party, its platform clearly envisions the eventual introduction of a multi-party democratic system in Temania.

Tensions between the overwhelmingly Ahmadi majority of Temanians and the officially atheist PNSR has been a major issue in Temanian society throughout the history of the People's Republic. When it was founded in 5485, the People's Republic enshrined the "right to freedom of belief and religion" in its constitution, though this would be repealed during the "Cultural Revolution" undertaken by Supreme Marshal Dian from 5567-5587. During this period, the PNSR aggressively promoted atheism, and many mosques were confiscated and transformed into buildings used for secular purposes, while Ahmadi clerics and their followers were tightly monitored.

Activism and protests from Ahmadi social organizations led to the reinstatement of the constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion in the People's Republic in the decades which followed the "Cultural Revolution." Nevertheless, atheism remains the official policy of the PNSR, and party membership, which is often a prerequisite for professional advancement in key sectors of Temanian society, is strictly limited to individuals who identify as atheist. This dynamic continues to create structural barriers for Ahmadis seeking influence within the political and bureaucratic institutions of the state.

Temanian government authorities have so far refrained from issuing statements or taking action against BERJAMA or its leadership, despite the constitutional ban on the formation of “factions” outside the vanguardist ruling party. The emergence of a politically organized Ahmadi opposition could pose the most significant coordinated challenge to Premier Basirun Chuanli’s government since the summer protests of 5709, which prompted sanctions from Egelion and drew criticism from the wider international community, including from the Bianjian foreign minister during the announcement of the establishment of the Dovani Security Organization (DSO).

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