Govt, Muslims must combat terrorist stigma
Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Muslim scholars have suggested that the government and Muslim organizations take concrete action to counter the "terrorist hotbed" stigma attached to Indonesia.
Azyumardi Azra, rector of the Islamic University, formerly the Syarif Hidayatullah Institute of Islamic Studies, said the mainstream Muslim organizations should be assertive in embracing the hardline groups through training or enlightenment to promote tolerance, human rights, and democracy.
"It is not enough condemning terrorism in a press statement or discussion.
"The U.S. way is of course different from ours. Here, we are more comfortable with the Javanese way, which is soft and persuasive. We cannot confront or condemn certain people in front of the public," he told The Jakarta Post.
Azyumardi said the government should be able to address the core problems of radicalism through law enforcement and peaceful campaigns involving religious leaders and the mass media.
"The presence of militant Muslims is just a phenomenon in Java, and they are noticed only because they shout the loudest," he said.
Azyumardi said the government needed to cooperate with other countries in dealing with terrorism through exchanges of information about suspected terrorists and measures to prevent them from crossing a country's border.
Separately, noted religious leader Solahudin Wahid regretted the fact that global citizens had taken for granted the perception that Indonesia was a terrorist hotbed.
"Actually Islam is not equal with violence. The hardline groups here, which are not significant in number, stands out because of the malfunctioning security apparatus who can't or won't enforce the law," he told the Post.
According to Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) chairman Amidhan, Muslim hardliners made up only one percent of the country's population of 210 million.
Solahudin suggested a periodic dialog among religious organizations to communicate their aspirations and define the clear direction of their respective struggles.
"It is also important for foreign countries to host the hardline groups and share ideas about many things," he said.
On allegations that terrorists roam free in Indonesia, Solahudin urged foreign countries to provide detailed information about the terrorist network here.
"It is possible the terrorists are taking shelter here but it's difficult to believe that the hardline groups are part of their groups. Those hardliners commonly take to the streets to protest against the unjust and disappointing government," he said.
Young Muslim scholar Ulil Abshar Abdallah said that Muslims needed an image to counter the stigma.
"All they have to do is communicate and express their ideas about how moderate and tolerant they are through publishing books, writing articles and speaking at international events," he said.
Ulil asserted people of different faiths in the country should maintain pluralism, but avoid the use of violence when it comes to promoting ideas.
Ayip Syarifuddin of the hardline Laskar Jihad group said that his organization did not intend to be involved in conflicts and wanted to focus on education and social work instead, leaving security and law enforcement affairs with the government.
"It was our mistake for brandishing swords and other weapons once in a rally. But no matter how soft we are now, people are still suspicious of us. We have held dialogs with the U.S. diplomats here, what should we do next?" he said.