Crackdown on terrorism threatens SE Asia democracy<\/p>\n
Karl Malakunas, Agence France-Presse, Singapore<\/p>\n
Moves by Southeast Asian governments to enact authoritarian laws
\nto fight terrorism will reverse many hard-won democratic gains
\nand could backfire, civil rights campaigners said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Human rights advocates and security analysts expressed concern
\nthat the push to introduce hardline security laws could lead to a
\nrepeat of abuses that occurred under many of the undemocratic
\nregimes that have ruled in the region.<\/p>\n
"A lot of abuses occurred in the past in the name of fighting
\ncommunism," Sinapan Samydorai, president of the Think Center, one
\nof Singapore's few civil rights group, told AFP.<\/p>\n
"Now there are fears of the same again, this time under the
\nname of (fighting) terrorism."<\/p>\n
Last week's car bomb blast on the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta
\nhas sparked a debate among many in Indonesia and elsewhere in the
\nregion about the trade-off between civil liberties and the fight
\nagainst terrorism.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's military chief, Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, called
\non Monday for security laws based on those in neighboring
\nSingapore and Malaysia that allow for the indefinite detention of
\nsuspects deemed a threat to national security.<\/p>\n
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra also announced tough
\nnew security laws on Monday, which he enacted without the
\napproval of parliament.<\/p>\n
In the Philippines, President Gloria Arroyo is continuing her
\nstruggle to win approval for antiterrorism laws based on the
\ncontroversial Patriot Act that was introduced in the United
\nStates after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.<\/p>\n
Samydorai and other civil rights campaigners said the moves
\nthreatened democratic gains won through decades of struggle
\nagainst the likes of Soeharto in Indonesia, Ferdinand Marcos in
\nthe Philippines and the military juntas that plagued Thailand in
\nthe 1970s and 80s.<\/p>\n
"A lot of people may feel an authoritarian hand may be a
\nbetter choice than a new flourishing democracy," the executive
\ndirector of Malaysian human rights group Suaram, Cynthia Gabriel,
\ntold AFP.<\/p>\n
"This goes against the grain of what we are trying to say that
\nin addressing any kind of terrorist network, what's really needed
\nis a respect for different ethnic groups and genuine democracy."<\/p>\n
Suaram is one of the many critics of Malaysia's Internal
\nSecurity Act, under which more than 70 suspected Islamic
\nmilitants are being detained without trial.<\/p>\n
Security analyst Andrew Tan, from the Institute of Defense and
\nStrategic Studies in Singapore, said many people in Indonesia
\nwould still oppose the introduction of a Malaysian-style ISA
\ndespite last week's bombing in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"The problem for Indonesia is it's going to be very difficult
\nto introduce similar legislation because of the past abuses of
\nthe Suharto government," Tan said.<\/p>\n
"The politics in Indonesia is very diverse and fractured... I
\ndon't think you would get a consensus."<\/p>\n
Tan said regional governments had to understand the effects
\ntougher security measures could have, warning abuse of such laws
\nwould fuel the resentment that has driven some disaffected
\nMuslims towards violence and extremism.<\/p>\n
"Governments have to be very careful that their actions are
\nseen to be legitimate otherwise it will contribute to a worsening
\nof the situation given they don't want to alienate the Muslim
\nground," he said.<\/p>\n
In the Philippines, leftwing Senator Satur Ocampo, whose Bayan
\nMuna party has campaigned to water down Arroyo's planned anti-
\nterrorism legislation, also warned draconian measures could
\nbackfire.<\/p>\n
"The social, political and economic issues underlying the
\nactivities of these organizations have been around for a long
\ntime and can't be erased by reducing everything to acts of
\nterrorism," Ocampo said.<\/p>\n
He called on governments to spend more energy focusing on the
\nroot causes of terrorism rather than enact tougher security
\nmeasures, saying laws were in most cases already adequate.<\/p>\n
"Most of the acts are already designated as crimes under
\nspecific laws, such as murder," he said.<\/p>\n
But amid the growing climate of fear, Ocampo conceded
\nIndonesia and other governments may increasingly be persuaded
\nthat tough pre-emptive action is needed.<\/p>\n
Australia -- Page 11<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/crackdown-on-terrorism-threatens-se-asia-democracy-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }