Democracy under attack

Democracy under attack

A frequent Australian visitor to Indonesia became physically
sick when she received news of last Saturday's suicide bombing of
crowded restaurants in Bali. This woman told a journalist in
Darwin that Bali is now "finished" as a tourist destination. She
grieves for this economic loss of her Balinese friends, and for
those killed or injured by terrorists who seek to undermine
Indonesia's fledgling democracy. Time will tell whether terrorism
killed tourism in Bali on Oct. 1.

But will there now be mass demonstrations by Indonesians in
defense of pluralism and democracy? Why since 2001 have there not
been Madrid-type mass demonstrations by outraged Indonesians in
the wake of terrorist attacks in Jakarta and Bali?

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono represents a real threat to
Islamic extremism; extremism that Indonesians comprehensively
rejected at the polls last year. Simply casting a vote in favor
of moderate Islam is easy. Indonesians must be prepared to "vote
with their feet", and support their democratically elected
President against extremists who seek to undermine him.

MARK HUNTER, Darwin, Australia.