A nation in denial for too long

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.