[Nasional-e] A nation in denial for too long

[Ambon]

The Jakarta Post
Nov. 7, 2002

 A nation in denial for too long
Jusuf Wanandi, Board Member Center for Strategic and International Studies,
Jakarta

With the Bali bombings, it has become crystal clear that global terrorism is
present in Indonesia. The country is facing an almost insurmountable task to
overcome the loss of international confidence. It has been in denial for too
long.

That is why it is imperative for President Megawati Soekarnoputri to get her
act together and solve the attack in Bali resolutely and quickly. To do that
she first has to rally the people and their leaders behind her, since the
fight will be long and complicated. In particular, she needs to get the
support of moderate Muslims and their leaders, because it must not be seen
as a fight against Islam, as radical groups have tried to portray it. The
fight must be seen first and foremost as for the sake of Indonesia, and not
simply in the interests of the United States or the international community.

Megawati must reach out to the legislature, the political parties and
moderate Islamic groups such as Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah. They are
Indonesia's two main social organizations for Muslims, with tens of millions
of members.

She must also reach out to public opinion. She has not been doing this,
although there is a huge amount of goodwill she could tap. In fact, she
could make the fight against extremism a cause that would resurrect her
popularity, after the many disappointments with her performance since she
became president. Indonesia has more Muslims than any other country. The
overwhelming majority are moderate and tolerant. They want peace so that the
economy can grow faster to generate more jobs, reduce poverty and raise
living standards. They want stability so that democracy can take root.

Megawati should develop rules, instruments and mechanisms to mount an
effective fight against terrorism. She recently proclaimed two emergency
decrees to strengthen the legal basis for stopping terrorists before they
can act. The decrees may be reinforced by legislation in the next session of
Parliament. It is important that the decrees help to cut off financing of
terrorist groups in Indonesia.

But there should be a balance between fighting terrorism and concern for
democracy and human rights. While the right to freedom from arrest without a
warrant may be qualified, the practice will not be unrestricted. Indonesia
should not adopt the internal security laws of Singapore and Malaysia that
permit suspected extremists to be arrested and held in indefinite detention
without trial.

Regulations to fight terrorism must certainly not replicate the
anti-subversive decrees of previous regimes.

Stiking such a balance is important. After all, the country only emerged
from 40 years of authoritarian rule with the downfall of President Soeharto
in 1998. Moreover, it is only in a viable democracy that moderate Islam can
overcome Islamic radicalism.

Megawati has taken steps to unify the country's intelligence gathering
system under Hendropriyono, the head of the National Intelligence Agency. He
has been committed to fighting terrorism since the attacks on the United
States in 2001.

The police will oversee an anti-terrorist unit under the supervision of the
coordinating minister for political and security affairs. The armed forces
are supposed to assist the police in their work.

It is significant that the police and the intelligence agencies have been
open to cooperation from equivalent services of neighboring countries and
the United States. But will they apply government policies resolutely and
quickly?

Some elements in the police and military are known to be corrupt and have
been compromised by some of the radical Muslim groups, who established
relations with them before democratic rule was established. Megawati must
also act to alleviate the impact of the Bali bombing on the economy. It will
help if the government can find the perpetrators quickly and prosecute them.
Only if she can show the international community that she is in charge can
further foreign aid and investment be expected.

About 40 million Indonesians, or nearly one-fifth of the population, are
either without a job or working only part-time. Reviving the economy is
critical for stability and security. Renewed growth and hope are also needed
to fight terrorism effectively.

But perhaps the most important thing is the ideological struggle against
radicalism and terrorism in the name of Islam. Although Muslims in Indonesia
are mainly moderate, they need help and assistance in expanding their
education systems under Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, which have so far
been able to withstand the extremist influences of Wahhabism from Saudi
Arabia.

The above article was published in the Nov. 5 edition of the International
Herald Tribune.