Terrorism challenge for next president, U.S. envoy says
Terrorism challenge for next president, U.S. envoy says
Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta
The United States hopes that the future Indonesian president will
have a clear policy to combat terrorism, its envoy Ralph L. Boyce
said on Friday. Neighboring Australia's former envoy Richard
Woolcott and an advisor to Philippine president Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo raised similar hopes at a two-day seminar here on
presidential candidates.
"The president elected in the July 5 election or in September
will need to formulate foreign security policy including a policy
to combat terrorism," Woolcott said.
Boyce noted that while the National Police have arrested more
than 110 suspects in terrorist attacks since the Oct. 12 2002
bombing in Bali, there were still challenges ahead.
The security condition has improved a lot, he said, yet "Some
important terrorist suspects, whose names we all know, are still
out there." He added that this increased the risk of another
serious incident.
Among those still at large are Azahari, a main suspect in the
bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last August.
Addressing the discussion held by the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS), Boyce noted that Indonesia now
recognizes the threat of terrorism.
"I think it is no longer a case that people think it is a
threat to foreign interests, but in fact the safety and
prosperity of Indonesia itself is very much in the balance," he
added.
Woolcott added that while political Islam was on the rise in
Indonesia, he hoped that Indonesia would continue as a moderate
Islamic and constructive nation.
He said that all countries in the region hoped Indonesia would
have a successful election, and produce a stable, moderate and
effective government that would strengthen confidence in its
economy.
Other concerns of the U.S., Boyce indicated, were the next
president's ability to address the rule of law, confusing
regulations, the "uncompetitive" labor law and declining
infrastructure. "When the new government will be installed in
October, the world will be watching who is selected for key
positions...," he said.
Also addressing the talks were Jusuf Wanandi of CSIS,
political analyst Dewi Fortuna Anwar, and Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's advisor for military reform, Carolina
G. Hernandez.
Hernandez said that given Indonesia's location "at the
regional center of terrorist activities", its role in combating
terrorist activities was important.
Indonesia has actually regained its role as informal leader in
Asia after it suffered setbacks due to the economic crisis in
1997, and it has also led the establishment of the ASEAN Security
Community (ASC) to strengthen security in the region, she said.
In what seemed to be one of the early warnings for Indonesia
of terrorist activities, Philippine envoy Leonides T. Caday was
seriously injured when a car bomb exploded near his car as he was
entering his residence in Jakarta on Aug. 1 2000.
Presidential candidate Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
told the seminar that if elected, he would protect national
sovereignty, promote an active foreign policy, and ensure that
Indonesia would be in the frontline in the fight against
terrorism.
Another presidential candidate, Gen. (ret) Wiranto, had
addressed the talks on Thursday.