'Terrorism fight in RI may hurt democracy'

'Terrorism fight in RI may hurt democracy'

Agencies, Jakarta

Indonesia's fight against terrorism after the Oct. 12 Bali
bombing risks setting back efforts to promote democracy in the
country, a report released by The International Crisis Group said
on Friday.

The Brussels-based think-tank said foreign pressure on
President Megawati Sukarnoputri to clamp down on terrorists
suspected of carrying out the nightclub blast could strengthen
the military's role in local security.

Indonesia's armed forces are blamed in Indonesia for
widespread human rights abuses under Soeharto's 32-year military
dictatorship and beyond. The military lost its internal security
role after Soeharto's downfall in 1998.

However, in practice, the armed forces continue to wield great
power within Indonesia, especially in provinces outside the main
island of Java, due to a weak central government and inadequately
staffed police force. In rebellious regions such as Aceh, on the
northern tip of Sumatra, the military is fighting a war with the
Acehnese, who want to separate from the republic.

"Efforts to clamp down on terrorists after the Bali blast -
which killed more than 190 mainly Western tourists - could give
the army an even more pivotal role in local security, dealing a
blow to attempts to strengthen democratic institutions," the ICG
report said as quoted by Dow Jones.

"Advocates of reform are worried that the post-Bali focus on
security, by the Megawati administration and foreign governments
alike, could divert attention from the urgent need to strengthen
civilian institutions, reform the armed forces, fix the courts
and end corruption," the report said.

Democracy activists are concerned a new antiterrorism
regulation, which gave the government power to hold suspects
without trial would allow the military to reassert itself in
local security issues given the weakness of other Indonesian
institutions, the ICG added.

"The new antiterrorism decree is not as draconian as
originally feared, but it still could boost the army's role in
internal security," the report said.

The Indonesian government issued last week government
regulations in lieu of law on antiterrorism, which confer wider
powers on the security forces, especially the police, to conduct
investigations into alleged terrorists.

Terrorism is defined as any violent act that could create
terror or insecurity among the public, violate the public's
freedom, cause the death of other people or cause the destruction
of vital or strategic objects.

Unlike the Criminal Code, the antiterrorism regulation allows
intelligence reports to be used as a legal evidence. Based on
prima facie evidence, suspected terrorists can be arrested for
seven days and detained for a period of six months for
questioning and prosecution.

Megawati's failure to show strong civilian leadership since
the Bali attack - hamstrung by a divided Cabinet - also risks
handing a larger role to the military, the report said.

Last August, ICG also issued a report on al-Qaeda network in
Southeast Asia entitled "Al-Qaeda in Southeast Asia: The case of
the "Ngruki Network" in Indonesia", in which the non-governmental
organization linked al-Qaeda associate group Jamaah Islamiyah to
the Indonesian military.