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.