Rizka Nurul Amanah, 27 years of age. In the last three years, she has become a researcher and an activist to tackle terrorism. She would go on a roadshow to many cities and meet with terrorist inmates. “It is pointless if we only focus on the inmates, but ignore the integral community. The pressure to return to violence path often came from the family and community.”
After graduated from UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Rizka joined Yayasan Prasasti Perdamaian with Noor Huda Ismail, the “Jihad Selfie” film director. Her early assignment was to interview 8 female inmates, three of them were migrant workers locked up in Head Quarter of Brimob.
Building communication with the inmates was not easy. “I deliberately did not read any theories. I approached them as human being.”
Weird requests were not news to her. Some asked her to buy the lipstick, clothes, freshly cut fruits – because knives are not allowed in the prison. “There was one time when the fruit I brought was not fresh enough, and she tossed them away in front of me.” Another time, the inmate asked me to bring 80 sticks of satay. “Sharp sticks are not allowed in the prison, so I had to undo the skewed meat pieces one by one. What a chore!”
Her patience eventually paid off. Not only 8 female inmates, but half of the 130 inmates held in the Head Quarter of Brimob (before the riot in April 2018) got into the interview and she will develop a book based on this interview. “Most of early-stage was not because of ideology, but restlessness, feeling underappreciated and lack of confidence. Some of them sent money every month back to their villages but never get a simple thank you in return.”
Disappointment, emptiness, and being far from home had made them vulnerable to the radical groups. “Starting from becoming a regular donor, all the way to recruiting ‘bride to be’ suicide bombers.”
Weren’t you afraid? “Of course. I used to avoid taking luggage whenever I traveled. Just a backpack, so I could run anytime. I brought a clasp knife and it has got confiscated at the airport.” Rizka was also worried when a riot broke at the Head Quarter of Brimob. “I couldn’t sleep for days. I was afraid that I was targeted too.”
For Rizka, “Terrorism starts from hatred. It is imperative that we work hard together to eliminate hatred on any basis.”
