U.S. told to avoid military approach against radicalism

U.S. told to avoid military approach against radicalism

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A noted Indonesian Muslim figure said the source of religious
radicalism in Indonesia was linked purely to domestic factors,
including low education levels, poverty, the absence of social
justice and the weak enforcement of law.

Syafiie Ma'arif, chairman of Indonesia's second largest Muslim
organization Muhammadiyah, told the U.S. government it was these
factors and not international factors that had sparked the
resurgence of radical movements in the country, especially in the
aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.

He suggested that the U.S. government focus attention on those
problems in its struggle to fight against terrorism and
radicalism, adding that education was a long-term investment in
creating educated and moderate people.

"The U.S. government could provide scholarships and other
educational assistance to help educate Indonesians," he said.

The assistance, in the form of financial and technical aid,
could be delivered to help the country solve sectarian crises in
several regions, prominently Poso in Central Sulawesi and Maluku.

Syafiie has just returned from the U.S. after attending the
Trilateral Commission, an annual conference for scholars in the
Asia Pacific region in Washington.

Previously, other Indonesian Muslim figures Hasyim Muzadi, who
also chairs Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU), and Alwi Shihab were invited to the U.S. to speak
about radical Muslim groups in Indonesia.

Syafiie's visit to the U.S. was initially scheduled several
months ago along with Hasyim, but Syafiie's trip was canceled as
it coincided with his plan to perform a haj pilgrimage.

NU claims a membership of about 40 million, while Muhammadiyah
30 million.

During his America trip, Syafiie delivered speeches on the
latest developments of radical groups in Indonesia during the
April 3 to April 8 conference sponsored by the Rockefeller
Foundation.

Syafiie also met several key figures in the U.S. government,
including Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolwofitz, Deputy
Secretary of State for Asia Pacific James Kelly and Deputy
Secretary of National Security Steven Hadley.

Syafiie urged the U.S. government to abandon its military
approach in its fight against radical Muslim movements in
Indonesia. The military approach, he said, was not suitable
because it could not help tackle the core problem of religious
radicalism and terrorism.

The U.S. government needed to identify the sources of
radicalism and employ a strategy to deal with the problem, he
said.

He said the radical Muslim movements in Indonesia had no
connection whatsoever to international terrorist networks,
including Al-Qaeda.

"It is widely perceived by the U.S. public that international
terrorist networks and radical Muslim movements in Indonesia are
connected to each other.

"It should be continuously explained to them that this
perception is grossly wrong," Syafiie said.

During his visit to the U.S., Syafiie convinced the U.S. public
not to worry about the rising radical Muslim movements in
Indonesia.

The movement, as represented by Laskar Jihad and the Islam
Defenders' Front, was small and the minority, he said.

If they looked "big", that was due to their outspokenness and
coverage by the media, he said.

Syafiie said that the majority of Indonesian Muslims, as
represented by the mainstream NU and Muhammadiyah, were moderate.