Muslim-Christian Conflict and the Rise of Laskar Jihad: Tracing Islamophobia in Central Sulawesi - Indonesia

This anthropological research investigates Muslim-Christian conflict and the rise of Laskar Jihad that affects Islamophobia in Central Sulawesi. Islamophobia appeared on the global political surface after the 9/11 tragedy, taking the world's attention to Muslim society. However, we cannot argue that, in recent decades, the media have depicted Muslim culture as backward, uneducated, bad, radical, terrorist, or with all negative images. Even so, Islam is often associated as a religion that supports violence and war. These illustrations depict Islamophobia as a global political threat. However, Islamophobia occurs not only in Western countries, but also in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. The study focuses primarily on the island of Sulawesi, where the rise of Laskar Jihad organizations, Muslim-Christian conflict, violent extremism, and Islamophobia are interrelated. Data collection was also taken from online media that can be understood as digital anthropology. In addition, this research paper examines the theory of prejudice. Prejudice is discussed based on facts, but also from perceptions, actions, language, symbols, and the media, to individuals or groups. The research findings show that the first element of Islamophobia in Central Sulawesi is associated with the Muslim-Christian dispute in the late 1990s. Islamophobia's second element relates to the transnational Islamic movement and the rise of Laskar Jihad after reformation.