Indonesia must act on terrorism: Now or never

Amien Rais, Chairman, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Jakarta

To many foreigners and Indonesians, Bali had always been their favorite destination to visit. But then came Oct. 12.

The Bali attack was an outrage directed both at those from Bali and abroad and generally at the Indonesian state. Words cannot describe how grieved I was after visiting the site of the bombing, the wounded in the hospital and witnessing the number of bodies still waiting to be identified.

To those who lost their loved ones or were injured during this barbaric attack, I extend to you my deepest sympathies. My heart also goes out to the many volunteers I have seen working day and night, hand in hand with doctors and forensic experts in managing a crisis center for those who lost their friends and families. May God Almighty bless them for their efforts and hard work.

As I told both Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer in Bali several days after the attack, Indonesia welcomes all international forensic and technical assistance to bring to justice those responsible for this atrocity. We should not hesitate to bring to justice the perpetrators of this violent act -- whom I regard as mass murderers -- regardless of their religion, ideological background and any mass support they may enjoy in this country or elsewhere. But having said that, we must do this by adhering to democratic principles and practices, and by respecting the universal values of tolerance and the rule of law. It would be a fatal error to believe that our nascent Indonesian democracy must be sacrificed to restore order and good government. This would hand the extremists a powerful weapon and potent argument in the struggle for the allegiance of our people.

I am aware of concerns that, in the event of certain religious leaders being detained or arrested for their alleged involvement in the Bali bombing, there could be a violent backlash from Indonesian Muslims. As a former leader of Muhammadiyah, the nation's second largest Muslim organization and one of the largest in the world, allow me to tell you this: Although Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesian Muslims are indeed moderate and among the most religiously tolerant Muslims globally. The vast majority of my fellow Indonesian Muslims demand, as I do, that the government resolve this case as soon as possible. In this respect, I second the statement of US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz: "If the bombing is found to be the work of Muslim extremists, it's going to be the Muslims of Indonesia who in huge numbers are going to be angriest". Let me assure you that Indonesian Muslims are fully behind international efforts to uncover this despicable act of terrorism.

The response to the threat to Indonesian democracy is first and foremost the responsibility of the political leadership of Indonesia and the Indonesian people. Sadly, the Bali bombing showed that our leaders have been ineffective in their prime responsibility of protecting the lives of Indonesian citizens and those who visit our country. Although I stand firm behind my President in her fight against terror, I rightfully quote an influential foreign magazine which stated: "It should not have taken a deadly inferno to demonstrate to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's government that stronger action must be taken against the extremists now operating nearly at will in Indonesia".

The Bali incident has made us fully realize that there is no safe haven from terrorism on this earth. Terrorism does not acknowledge nor has any respect for religion, norms and values. Terrorists will seek to maximize casualties whenever and wherever they can. Suddenly many of us no longer feel safe even in carrying out our day to day lives. Therefore, I plead that the Indonesian government step up Indonesia's efforts to combat every single terrorism cell that has penetrated this country, in a swift and powerful manner.

We now need our best police and armed forces to operate under democratic control to bring all terrorists operating in Indonesia to swift justice. But while extremism can be combated in the short term by force, the only long term solution is through social, economic and political action to build a prosperous economy and functioning democracy under the rule of law.

Indonesia has become the battleground on which two different world views will now fight for supremacy. If peace, freedom, democracy and prosperity are to defeat the forces of extremism in Indonesia, then our friends will have to provide much more than sympathetic words, and military equipment. It is time for ruthless action against extremism, and ruthless action against the root causes of corruption, economic oppression and inertia that have allowed extremism to gain a foothold in our country.

Indonesia has now come to a point of no return. Our government and all good Indonesians, who are the vast majority of our people, must act decisively. It is now or never.

This article represents his personal views.