Experts tell Susilo to be firm against terrorism
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Fighting against terrorism and finding out the motives behind such attacks are prerequisites for restoring peace and order necessary to pull the country out of its multidimensional crisis, experts say.
They also advise the likely next president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to take firm actions against those involved in terrorist attacks, especially the perpetrators of the deadly blast that killed at least 10 people in Kuningan, South Jakarta on Sept. 9.
Kusnanto Anggoro, military analyst of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said Susilo had to ensure that the people involved in the Kuningan bombing were arrested and brought to justice.
"Susilo emerged right after the bloody blast and investigation, served as a test of his commitment to upholding security," Kusnanto told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.
The police have declared five persons as suspects and have arrested a few others for their alleged involvement in the Kuningan bomb attack that police have blamed on the regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).
Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, has been rocked by series of terrorist attacks in the past five years -- the Bali bombings that killed at least 202 people in October 2002 and the JW Marriott hotel attack that claimed the lives of 12 people in August 2003.
The terrorist attacks have kept badly needed investment at bay, further delaying the country's recovery from its economic doldrums.
Indria Samego, a military analyst of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), concurred and said Susilo had to immediately implement his plan to establish a National Security Council and revive the counterterrorism task force he led during his stint with the administration of incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri to enhance security in general, at home.
He, however, urged Susilo to name the council's members and its authority and powers.
The national security council's powers "should not overlap with the counterterrorism task force which involves the National Police, the military and intelligence apparatus," he said.
He said the council, which is presumedly going to be directly led by the president, should involve the coordinating minister for political and security affairs, police and military chiefs, and relevant ministers. Its main task should be formulating new measures to maintain security and political stability at home.
Indria and Kusnanto said Susilo should declare the National Police in charge of security, including the counterterrorism task force, to end unhealthy competition between the police and the military in handling terrorism.
The counterterrorism task force should be dominated by police while a new legislation should be made to allow military to provide help for the police, they said.
The two analysts also said that while joining the global war on terrorism, Indonesia has to fight for its foreign policy, agenda especially on the issues of Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq that have been used by certain militant groups to launch terror acts.
"Susilo is supported by the majority of Muslim voters and parties, and therefore he should never enter into ties with Israel.
"On the contrary, he should support the establishment of the state of Palestine and oppose the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq," Kusnanto said.