The war on terror
The war on terror
The national campaign against terror has entered a new
critical phase this week with the publication of the photographs
of six suspects in connection with last month's deadly bomb
attacks in Bali. Although only one man has been arrested to date,
police at least have the names and faces of six other men, plus
some details of their backgrounds and their past activities, whom
they believe were the perpetrators of the Oct. 12 bombing. This
is a whole lot more than they had one week ago.
True, the police's version about how the Bali bombing was
planned and executed has been based on the account of one self-
confessed suspect, Amrozi. He may be telling lies, he may only
know half of the truth, but his story, for now, is the only solid
lead that the police could use in pursuing the investigation.
The nationwide manhunt launched this week following the
publications of the names of six suspects, however, have many
implications that require the government to secure even greater
public support for its campaign to stand a chance of success.
The police announcement of the suspects' names on Sunday
somehow failed to convey the message that they want the public to
participate in their endeavor. During the media conference, Insp.
Gen. Made Mangku Pastika, who is heading the multinational
investigating team, made no specific appeal to the public to help
the police in tracking down the terrorist suspects.
He did invoke a clause in the anti-terrorism law which states
that anyone who harbors terrorist fugitives is liable to between
three and 15 years' imprisonment. While police were not expected
to offer rewards, they could have reminded the public about
existing offers, including from the Australian government and the
Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia).
Police could also have warned the public that they should
exercise caution because we are dealing with terrorists who, if
they were involved in the Bali bombing, are capable of anything.
Last, but not least, the police could have offered legal
assurances and protection to anyone who came forward with any
information about the wanted suspects.
The fact that the police were certain that these suspects are
still in the country and have not fled abroad, showed that they
are comfortable and confident that they would not be found. This
is all the more reason why police should reach out for the
fullest public support in solving the Oct. 12 bombing case. After
all, that was supposed to be the objective of the whole exercise
of publishing the names and faces of the suspects.
Widespread public support is also crucial because it has now
become clear that some of the suspects have been associated, one
way or another, with one or two pesantren, or Islamic boarding
schools. Vice President Hamzah Haz on Monday cautioned the police
about excesses shown during the raid at one pesantren last week.
Muhammadiyah, one of the largest Muslim organizations, has also
complained about the police's excessive behavior when they
removed Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, an Islamic cleric wanted for earlier
bomb attacks, from his hospital bed in Surakarta, Central Java.
The hospital, owned and managed by Muhammadiyah, was damaged.
The last thing the police want to do at this critical phase of
the war on terror is to earn the wrath of the Muslim community.
They must solicit the support of Muslims, not alienate them.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's appeal on Monday for
mainstream Muslim organizations to join in the war on terror
could not have been better timed. Irrespective of her style of
delivery -- as usual she was speaking through proxies rather than
speaking directly -- the President appealed to Muhammadiyah and
Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's two largest Muslim organizations,
to promote the image of Islam as a peace-loving and cooperative
religion. She also asked that these two groups speak out more
often about the real values of Islam.
These two groups, which preach religious tolerance and
moderation, have represented the voice of reason ever since the
global war on terror began last year. They represent the
mainstream Muslims in Indonesia, while the more radical
interpretations of Islam find little supports among people, who,
unfortunately, tend to be very vocal. Given this, the government
must continue to nurture the support of Nahdlatul Ulama and
Muhammadiyah if it wants to succeed in its campaign.
Putting aside the limitations in the way the government and
the police are communicating their messages in the campaign on
terror, the widest public participation is essential for our own
sake. With or without being solicited by the government, this is
a campaign that every one who is concerned about the future of
this nation must support.
We cannot expect to return to our normal lives, or to live in
peace again, for as long as we know that the perpetrators of the
Oct. 12 bomb attacks are still roaming free. This campaign may
not have the leadership that it deserves, but it is no excuse for
the rest of us not to join in the endeavor.