Injustice causes Islamic radicalism<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The vice-chairman of the National Resiliency
\nInstitute, Juwono Sudarsono, called on the government yesterday
\nto enhance social justice to prevent the rise of radical Islamic
\nmovements in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Juwono argued that inequality and social injustice are fertile
\nground for radical ideas.<\/p>\n
\"We are racing against time to foster more far reaching social
\njustice. If we fail, anyone can use the Islamic religion as a
\nradical shortcut, which is unconstitutional,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
Juwono assessed the rising trend of Islamic radicalism
\nthroughout the world, particularly in developing nations, as a
\nbacklash against the failure of modern economic development to
\ncreate economic and social justice.<\/p>\n
\"My warning is that the potential to exploit religion as a
\nmeans of endorsing radical acts such as in Algeria and
\nEgypt...can also happen in Indonesia,\" he said after speaking at
\na seminar on \"The Egyptian Indonesian Relations from an Historic
\nPerspective\".<\/p>\n
The seminar, opened by Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, also
\nmarked the inauguration of the Indonesia-Egypt Friendship
\nAssociation.<\/p>\n
Juwono strongly warned against the use of Islam as a \"savior
\nfrom the poverties\" and thus called for policies to improve
\npeople's welfare.<\/p>\n
\"The symptoms do occasionally appear,\" he replied when asked
\nby The Jakarta Post if he thought there were already signs which
\ngive root to radical Islamic movements.<\/p>\n
He pointed to the conflicts surrounding land expropriation as
\na common example which could aid such radicalism.<\/p>\n
Morals<\/p>\n
Former cabinet minister Emil Salim who also attended
\nyesterday's seminar, pointed out that development in many
\ncountries lacked moral development and thus created a void often
\nfilled by movements such as Islamic fundamentalism.<\/p>\n
Emil argued that fundamentalist movements were often a
\nmanifestation of society's desire to recapture traditional values
\nneglected by modern economic development.<\/p>\n
He sees a need to balance materialistic concepts with moral
\nvalues in the nation's development.<\/p>\n
\"If this is not addressed then fundamentalism will emerge,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
When asked about the seriousness of the situation in
\nIndonesia, Emil answered by expressing confidence in the virtue
\nof the people here.<\/p>\n
\"The morality of the Indonesian people is still good,\" he
\nreplied.<\/p>\n
He added that rational Moslems were needed, not emotional ones
\nsuch as in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
According to Juwono, the government is aware of the potential
\ndangers posed by Islamic extremists.<\/p>\n
\"I think that even Golkar feels that Islam is a challenge,\" he
\nsaid referring to the ruling Golkar faction.<\/p>\n
He noted that the government has included Islamic leaders,
\nparticularly those from the middle class, in the decision making
\nprocess \"even though still nominally\".<\/p>\n
Furthermore, he argued that when a political group holds onto
\npower for so long, as Golkar has for the last two decades, there
\nis a general pattern to challenge it. (mds)<\/p>",
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