Kurds in Indonesia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 4,800 (1999–2001)[a] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Indonesia (mainly Jakarta and Bogor)[1] | |
| Languages | |
| Kurdish, Arabic, and Indonesian | |
| Religion | |
| Islam (majority) and Christianity[2] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Kurds | |
The Kurds in Indonesia (Kurdish: Kurdên Endonezyayî; Indonesian: Orang Kurdi di Indonesia) are a minority group of Kurdish ethnicity who live in Indonesia or at least have become Indonesian citizens. In the past, the Kurds contributed more or less to the spread of Islam and its education in the Indonesian.[3] In modern times, many Kurds have come as refugee migrants dan asylum seekers to Indonesia to escape conflict in their home regions, especially from Iraq and Syria, apart from Iran and Turkey.[4]
History
From the aspect of cultural and historical relations with Islam in Indonesia, the Kurds have played a more or less significant role. There are several Kurdish Muslim clerics who are influential for Muslims in Indonesia.[5] The book of Mawlid al-Barzanjī or Barzanjī (original title Iqd al-Jawhar fī Mawlid al-Nabiy al-Azhar), which is very popular in Indonesia was written by a Kurdish scholar named Jaʿfar b. Ḥasan al-Barzanjī who was originally from Sulaymaniyah in Iraq. Another influential Kurdish scholar was Ibrahim al-Kurani who was the teacher of a number of prominent Indonesian scholars such as Abd al-Rauf al-Fansuri and Yusuf al-Makassari.[3]
It is not known for certain when the Kurds first arrived in Indonesia. However, it is estimated that their initial presence was when the Shafi'i school of thought entered Indonesia, which is currently adhered to by its people, as well as the Kurds themselves. Some Kurdish influences have been felt in Indonesia, such as the influence of Sufism and the Naqshbandiyya order since the 17th century, and the other is that there are many Indonesian Muslims whose names are "Kurdi", especially in Java. The various Muslim peoples who traded with Indonesia, including the Arabs, Persians, Indians from all over the coast, as well as the Chams and Chinese, have all left their influence. Likewise, the Kurds contributed, especially through their mystical texts and Islamic thought.[6]
Most of the Kurds in Indonesia today are refugee migrants, both illegal and documented, as are asylum seekers.[7] Most of the refugees were placed in Jakarta or in the Puncak area, on the border between Bogor and Cianjur. Between 1999 and 2001, the number was estimated at around 4,800 including other Iraqi migrant refugees. These migrant refugees use Indonesia as a transit point before continuing their journey to Australia.[8] However, some people have been thwarted when they were arrested by Indonesian authorities and imprisoned, while some others ran out of money to pay the smugglers or were unable to get tickets on the smugglers' boats.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Hoffman, Sue (2012). "Living in Limbo: Iraqi Refugees in Indonesia". Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees. 28 (1). New Haven: Yale Law Journal: 15–24. doi:10.25071/1920-7336.36085.
- ^ "Rebin's Story: Discovering Christ As A Kurdish Refugee in Indonesia". persecution.org. Persecution.org (International Christian Concern). 1 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ a b al-Qurtuby, Sumanto (10 October 2017). "Nasib Muslim Kurdi: Siapa Peduli?". www.dw.com (in Indonesian). DW News. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Skeers, Jake (17 November 2003). "Australian government flouts international law to eject Kurdish refugees". www.wsws.org. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ Shwan, Bawar A. (13 October 2024). "The Role Of Kurds In The Dissemination Of Islamic Knowledge In The Malay Archipelago". muslimmatters.org. Muslim Matters. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ van Bruinessen, Martin (1998). Kurdish `Ulama and their Indonesian disciples (Thesis). Utrecht: Utrecht University. pp. 1–19.
- ^ "Kurds to arrive in Jakarta". www.smh.com.au. The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 November 2003. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "Australia Charges 3 Indonesians in Christmas Island Refugee Tragedy". www.voanews.com. Voice of America. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2025.