RI-U.S. ties improving after Bali bombing, say ambassadors

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The bombings in Bali showed Indonesians that there are terrorists here, and the government's tough response to the attack has helped improve relations with the United States, said Indonesia's ambassador to the U.S. on Monday.

Ambassador Soemadi D.M. Brotodiningrat said the threat of terrorism had taken center stage in the relationship between the two countries since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the U.S.

"Before Bali, our relationship was somewhat sensitive as the U.S. thought we were not serious (abut dealing against terrorism)," Soemadi said on the sidelines of a seminar to discus Indonesian-U.S. ties post-Sept. 11.

On the other hand, he added, Indonesia was skeptical about the presence of local terrorists and was slow to take any action because of the absence of an antiterror law.

This, however, changed after the Bali bombings claimed more than 190 lives, making it the deadliest terror strike since Sept. 11.

Soemadi said the blast confirmed U.S. suspicions of terrorists in Indonesia, but also led Washington to change its view of Jakarta's commitment to combating terrorism.

"After Bali, after the (antiterror) government regulation, after the arrests (of the suspected bombers), the interrogations, they are now starting to think that Indonesia is somewhat serious in handling terrorism," he said, calling the efforts to fight terrorism here a boost to diplomatic ties.

Indonesia has arrested a number of suspects in connection with the Bali bombings and other terror strikes, including the alleged leader of the Jamaah Islamiyah extremist group, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

Less than a month after the Oct. 12 Bali bombing, Jakarta issued an antiterror regulation that has boosted its leverage in the fight against terror.

U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce praised Indonesia's progress in hunting down the perpetrators of the Bali bombings, but added that more could be done in the fight against terror.

"I encourage you and future policy leaders in Indonesia to redouble your already impressive efforts to combat terror.

"As one of the largest democracies in the world, the most populous majority Muslim country and a vigorous partner in combating terrorism and transnational crime, Indonesia can help to secure a safe and prosperous future for its people," he said during the seminar.

Political analyst Soedjati Djiwandono said the two countries needed to build a common understanding of what terrorism meant and how to deal with it.

"A common enemy can help unify the nation and build international cooperation against terrorism, regardless of identities or religious affiliation," said Soedjati of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

With much of U.S. foreign policy resting on its war against terror, signs of improved political ties between Washington and Jakarta may spell improvements in other areas of cooperation as well. But Soemadi said there were still no signs of this happening.

The Sept. 11 terror strike, he said, had little impact on economic ties and the level of U.S. foreign aid to Indonesia remained largely unchanged.

What was changed was the image of Indonesia after Sept. 11. "President Bush's repeated statements that there is no link between the religion of Islam and terrorism have not fully erased (the U.S.) public's simplistic perceptions," Soemadi said.

In this context, Soemadi said, Indonesia was less often referred to as the world's third largest democracy and more often as the world's largest Muslim country.

Progress in the Bali bombing investigation has helped fight this negative image, he said and quoted an undated article from The Washington Post referring to Indonesia as a "progressive force for achieving a more tolerant Islam".

So far, the restriction of military cooperation between the U.S. and Indonesia remains the most apparent diplomatic snag symbolizing the bumpy relationship between the two countries, Soemadi said.

He said Indonesia's progress in the war against terror had not moved the U.S. to restore military ties.

"The benchmark (for restoring ties with the military) is not terrorism, but accountability for human rights abuses, especially after the vote (in East Timor)," Soemadi said, referring to the military's alleged role in the bloodshed during the independence ballot in East Timor that led to the U.S. freezing its military ties with Indonesia.

Boyce said the full restoration of military ties depended on Indonesia demonstrating progress in holding accountable those responsible for past gross human rights abuses, "something that has not yet happened".