A campaign against terrorism<\/p>\n
Aleksius Jemadu, Bandung<\/p>\n
The success of the government in killing top terror suspect
\nAzahari bin Husin has garnered praise at home and abroad and has
\nhelped dispel the impression that Indonesia is not serious about
\ncracking down on terrorist networks.<\/p>\n
What is interesting to observe after Azahari's death is the
\nchanging perceptions among Islamic leaders about the extent
\nterrorists have manipulated religious teachings in order to
\njustify the killings of innocent people. It is reported in the
\nmedia that religious leaders now realize the importance of
\ncarrying out counter-campaigns against the teachings of
\nterrorists, who are telling Islamic youths that blowing
\nthemselves up is a direct route to heaven.<\/p>\n
Security analysts are hailing the determination of the
\nMinistry of Religious Affairs to establish a special team with
\nthe task of countering militant religious ideas. However, it
\nremains to be seen how effective this effort will be in
\nneutralizing terrorists' campaigns to recruit new generations of
\nsuicide bombers. Mainstream clerics must face the reality that
\nwritten materials authored by top militants like Sayyid Qutb,
\nOsama bin Laden and Imam Samudera have been widely circulated and
\nread by many young people. We also need to add the Internet to
\nthe equation, a virtual world where militants spread information
\nabout how to make bombs and otherwise kill or maim.<\/p>\n
The videos of the three suicide bombers broadcast by our TV
\nstations tell us of their social origins. That the bombers come
\nfrom poor areas has led people to believe that poverty is a
\nprimary cause of terrorism. There is some truth to this argument
\nbut it is also certain that these men were not motivated by
\nmaterial concerns. We have no evidence that the bombers profited
\nfrom their activities or that they sent money to their families
\nbefore blowing themselves up.<\/p>\n
If poverty is not the main explanation, then we have to
\nsharpen our focus and look into the mind of a terrorist. The
\nsocial constructivists tell us that the self-images of terrorists
\naffect their behavior. From their statements in the videos we
\nlearn that the suicide bombers are very sincere, yet sincerely
\nignorant. They do not allow any other alternative discourse to
\ntest the validity of their convictions. They have been misled by
\ncertain religious discourse that ultimately serves as a prison
\nfor them.<\/p>\n
The good news about Indonesia's counter-terrorism policy after
\nAzahari's death is that the government and Islamic leaders have
\nbegun to appreciate the importance of cooperation to combat
\nreligious extremism and terrorism. What a difference it would
\nhave made if this kind of cooperation began after the first Bali
\nbombing in 2002.<\/p>\n
However, it is too early to predict this effort will
\nsuccessfully stop the recruitment of new terrorists in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Campaigns against the manipulation of religious teachings will
\nproduce limited effects if they are designed only as a reaction
\nto the spread of militant ideas. The creation of a terrorist mind
\nis not an instant process. It may take years of indoctrination
\nand brain-washing before a terrorist is fully convinced about the
\nessential validity of their murderous act. Intense interaction
\nwith foreign militants also seems to be an essential element in
\nthe radicalization of religious views among Indonesia's homegrown
\nterrorists.<\/p>\n
It should be noted that the anti-Western propaganda by the
\nterrorists also makes references to some legitimate grievances
\namong Islamic societies -- the killing of innocent people in
\nPalestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. They also try to mobilize public
\nsympathy by demonizing authoritarian and repressive monarchies in
\nthe Middle East whose collaboration with the West is widely
\nperceived as a humiliation to the Arab world.<\/p>\n
The government and mainstream clerics should not assume they
\ncan easily argue against terrorist propaganda simply on the
\ngrounds that they represent the view of the majority of the
\nIndonesian people. The persuasiveness of their counter-terror
\ncampaign cannot be taken for granted. A sizable proportion of the
\ncountry's population may not agree with the violence used by the
\nterrorists but they may well sympathize with the legitimacy of
\nany struggle against social injustice and political domination.<\/p>\n
Any counter campaign, therefore, should be based on clear
\nreligious teachings and have an identified target audience.<\/p>\n
Terrorism is a multifaceted security issue. Resolving the
\nproblem at the national level is only part of the job. The entire
\ncivilized world must strengthen global cooperation to address the
\nroot causes of this problem.<\/p>\n
The writer is head of the International Relations masters
\nstudy program at Parahyangan University in Bandung, who
\nspecializes in researching civil and internal conflict. He can be
\nreached at aljemadu@yahoo.co.uk.<\/p>",
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