End corruption, political abuse, terror

Elwin Tobing, Founder, The Indonesian Institute, elwin@theindonesianinstitute.org, Jakarta

The immediate effects of the despicable terror in Bali are clear. There will be a sense of insecurity across the archipelago, a poorer image of the nation and a potential disaster of our economy.

For long, we have denied the presence of threats to our national security and ignored the very basic rule in life: If you don't take care of yourselves someone will do it for you, meaning that someone will destroy you. Now we find ourselves overwhelmed with a huge task to handle this terror and more likely we are not able to do that without international support.

For a long time, corruption and destructive politics have ruined our future, and now terrorism holds our nation hostage. Sadly, corruption, destructive politics and terrorism are three great recipes for the quick destruction of a nation. So, as a nation our choice is clear: Whether we continue to exist or accept the ultimate reality that Indonesia will soon be history -- unless we fight against the three poisons swiftly and resolutely. The bombings in Bali show us that the order of the tasks to be in the first choice is as follows: Security, constructive politics and the economy.

The foremost step is to examine ourselves and ask, do we really have problems with ourselves? An honest answer to this would end our denial mentality. This mentality is the biggest problem with Indonesia.

The next step is to end the blaming game. Authorities must find and prosecute the perpetrators of terror. But this is also the time to come together and reflect on the nation's future. After the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S., Americans rallied behind their leaders and they were united. Although the bombings in Bali were mainly directed toward foreigners, the attack was on Indonesian soil and it was about lives.

Rallying together behind the government to capture and punish the terrorists and condemning terrorism will show that we value lives and reject terror. As a nation, we now need to ask critical questions: Will we surrender our future to a group of people -- whoever they are -- who are trying to destroy this nation and secondly, what we must do to restore security across Indonesia.

The need for strong law enforcement is a must. But as the sword never wins a heart, authorities must also realize that machine guns alone will never be able to fully restore security. It requires a new approach which combines muscles, productive ideas and humanity.

Authorities must walk a fine line between protecting the integrity of the nation and at the same time preserving the human rights of our people. But one thing is certain, without strong muscles and punishment any effort to restore security is a joke. And without active public participation, any effort to restore security will be ineffective.

While politicians have indirectly contributed to our insecurity, the public has long been too passive in promoting security. This has sent signals to terrorists that it is all right to hurt and kill innocent people. Now, enough is enough.

The despicable terror in Bali and the blood of thousands of innocent people in Maluku, Poso and other parts of the country is enough. It is time for the public to participate actively in building and promoting national and local security.

To start with, President Megawati Soekarnoputri must address the nation to tell citizens of the urgency of building national and local security for our nation's future. And Megawati must appeal to fellow Indonesians to be vigilant while maintaining high tolerance among different religions, ethnic groups and races.

She must resolutely state that any activities and organizations or interest groups that promote hate and violence will be banned and punished. Tolerance for violence and hate must be zero, regardless of its cause. Words must then be followed by determined actions.

Apart from strong law enforcement and the active participation of the public, efforts towards a stable national security also require a new paradigm in our national politics.

As Bill Guerin in the Asia Times wrote, "This political manipulation using Islamic symbols is extremely dangerous and poses the greatest danger ever to Indonesia's stability since the downfall of Soeharto."

He added that the leadership crisis "that allows Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism to be confused with all Islamic movements, political and social, non-violent and violent, is driving a wedge between the West and the Indonesian Muslims."

"If the West and the Islamic world cannot meet in the middle, then the future holds only the frightening prospect of more hatred and radicalism," Guerin wrote.

Politicians in Indonesia have long assumed that the people are unintelligent and easily manipulated. They make their political maneuvers based on that assumption; take the bizarre political tactics by Vice President Hamzah Haz who embraced a less popular group while abandoning his party grass roots -- and the shameful maneuver by the House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker and chairman of the Golkar party, Akbar Tandjung, who still resists demands that he resign despite his conviction for corruption.

Party leaders and elites must understand that people are now hungry, jobless and desperate for good education and safety. Attempts to win votes by selling religious and other exclusive symbols is no longer appealing. People have seen that countries which reduce the public's choice to black or white are economically and politically backward.

Election winners in 2004 will thus be the parties which are inclusive and can indeed provide prosperity and security to all Indonesians.

Right now people need progress, not regress. People need peace, not hatred. And people already know which way to realize progress and which way to promote peace. Never try to fool them because it is not going to work.