Steven Pailah Criticizes Jusuf Kalla's Statement on the Understanding of 'Martyrdom' in Religiously-Tinged Conflicts
The coordinator of the Prabowo People's Legal Aid Institute (ABP), Steven Pailah, criticized the statement made by former Vice President Jusuf Kalla during his speech at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta. Jusuf Kalla had previously stated that religiously-tinged conflicts like those in Poso and Ambon are difficult to stop because both sides, Muslims and Christians, believe in the concept of 'martyrdom' related to death in conflict. Steven asserted that such a statement has the potential to mislead public understanding.
In his written statement on Monday, April 13, 2026, Steven explained that in the Christian tradition, there is no teaching that justifies killing as a spiritual path. He emphasized that the concept of martyrdom in Christianity refers to a willingness to suffer or die non-violently. Steven added that oversimplifying the narrative risks obscuring the complexity of conflicts, which are influenced by social, political, and economic aspects, not just religious factors.
Jusuf Kalla's spokesman, Husain Abdullah, responded that the statement was taken from JK's lecture at the UGM Campus Mosque on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Husain stressed that the narrative refers to the historical fact that when the conflict erupted, there were groups from both sides who called for holy war and claimed death in the conflict as martyrdom. This was conveyed as a reality on the ground, not as Jusuf Kalla's personal view.
https://www.gelora.co/2026/04/