Walking the tightrope<\/p>\n
With the United States and other countries in the world,
\nincluding some of our closest neighbors, beginning to lose their
\npatience, the government now seems ready to make good its pledge
\nto join the world in the fight against terrorism.<\/p>\n
One indication of this was a statement this week by State
\nMinister of Communications and Information Syamsul Mu'arif, who
\nsaid the National Police would organize a meeting with the
\ncountry's leading Muslim religious scholars, or ulemas, to
\ndiscuss the moves that will have to be taken in a crackdown on
\nterrorist activities.<\/p>\n
If terrorism is defined as the use of violence in order to
\nachieve one's goals, then certainly Indonesians have every reason
\nto be concerned by the threat that they and the country are
\nfacing from terrorists, be they homegrown or international.<\/p>\n
Of the numerous bomb attacks that Jakarta and several other
\nlarge cities in the country have suffered recently, for example,
\na few cases appear to have been at least partly resolved. In most
\ncases, however, the thread of the investigation remains as
\ntangled as ever, with the culprits and masterminds still running
\nfree.<\/p>\n
The reluctance, or in more than a few instances the ill-
\nfeeling with which the government's plan to consult the ulemas
\nhas so far been met, however, clearly shows the complexity of the
\nterrorist issue as it is perceived in this country. Although
\nIndonesia is not a theocracy, it has the largest Muslim
\npopulation in the world. And as must by now be well enough known,
\nthe overwhelming majority of Muslims in Indonesia are a mixture
\nof moderates and so-called abangan -- that is, non-practicing
\nMuslims who know little or only the bare essentials of their
\nprofessed religion.<\/p>\n
Apparently it is the most prominent of these moderate ulemas
\nwhom the government intends to consult. As for the more radically
\ninclined among them, the state minister of communications and
\ninformation says the government will not talk to radical groups,
\nbut \"(only) to those parts of society who are able to lead us to
\na certain stand\". But singling out the moderates with whom to
\ntalk may not be such an easy task.<\/p>\n
This is how the situation stands at the moment with regard to
\nthe fight against terrorism. Apparently piqued by the repeated
\nU.S. accusations of Indonesia harboring al-Qaeda terrorist cells,
\nAhmad Syafii Maarif, who is the chairman of the nation's second
\nlargest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah, and whose moderate
\nMuslim credentials need not be doubted, says he does not believe
\n(the U.S. claims) that Indonesia is a center of terrorism.<\/p>\n
Particularly groundless and exaggerated, in the view of most
\nmoderate Indonesian Muslims, is the most recent U.S. warning to
\nits citizens to avoid visiting the two Javanese cultural centers
\nof Yogyakarta and Surakarta, because of reported threats against
\nAmericans and Westerners.<\/p>\n
\"Terrorism is here, that's true,\" says Syafii, \"but it has
\nnothing to do with American interests, nor does it have any links
\nwith al-Qaeda.\" Syafii insists that President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri and her ministers speak up to clarify the
\ngovernment's stand on terrorism, and to prevent public trust in
\nher administration from deteriorating.<\/p>\n
More directly to the point, perhaps, was the warning from
\nNahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi a few days ago, to the
\neffect that continued U.S. accusations without convincing
\nevidence to back them up could alienate even moderate Muslims
\nfrom the American cause. Already, warnings similar to those from
\nMuhammadiyah's Syafii and Nahdlatul Ulama's Hasyim have echoed
\nacross the country.<\/p>\n
In spite of all that has been said, however, there can be no
\ndenying that terrorism is a clear and present danger in
\nIndonesia, and could seriously destabilize President Megawati's
\nadministration and undermine the country's current
\ndemocratization drive.<\/p>\n
With its Soeharto-era draconian antisubversion law now
\nscrapped, Indonesia is currently working on an antiterrorism law
\nthat is to be presented to the House of Representatives shortly.
\nA draft state-of-emergency law tabled by the government months
\nago could provide the needed basis for the authorities to take
\naction. However that draft was shelved because of strong
\nopposition from the public, which feared the law would misused by
\nsecurity forces to repress dissent.<\/p>\n
Obviously, then, the first and most important step the
\ngovernment must take to secure the support it needs in the fight
\nagainst terrorism is to win back the public's trust, and assure
\npeople that this trust will not be abused.<\/p>\n
Any assistance the U.S. government can give in this national
\ndrive against terrorism, of course, would be greatly appreciated.
\nThis the U.S. could do simply by considering its statements more
\ncarefully, so as not to shake the political tightrope that
\nIndonesia is now walking.<\/p>\n
Whatever the case, let there be no misunderstanding about one
\nfact: The fight against terrorism concerns us all.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/walking-the-tightrope-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}