U.S. warned against forcing RI to crack down on hard-liners

Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted Muslim leaders cautioned the United States on Wednesday against forcing Indonesia to crack down on hardline religious groups in the country.

While admitting that there were radical groups in the country, Muhammadiyah chairman Syafi'i Ma'arif said the groups were not involved in terrorism and had no link to any international terrorism network.

"Radicalism here is more because of the absence of good governance at the national and provincial levels, and the paralyzed legal systems. It will lose its root if national leaders, security officers and the legal system can function satisfactorily," Syafi'i told The Jakarta Post Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will arrive here Thursday with the purpose of helping President Megawati Soekarnoputri fight suspected terrorist groups in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Powell's agenda includes a meeting with leaders of mainstream Islamic organizations here. Some small Muslim groups are planning to hold street protests during his visit.

Indonesia is considered a potential hotbed for international terrorism. Two neighboring countries -- Singapore and Malaysia -- have openly accused Indonesia of allowing terrorists to roam free in the country, while the U.S. has suggested that members of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network al Qaeda have entered Indonesia.

Syafi'i, chairman of Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization, said the country's commitment to fighting terrorism was something that could not be dictated by other countries.

"It's against our pride, our sovereignty. Besides, counter terrorism is not relevant here. How can we have a war with something that does not exist in the country?," he asked.

On Tuesday, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi said that the U.S. should not worry about a number of hardline Muslim groups here because they had been set up to serve temporary interests.

"If the man behind the radicalism no longer needs these groups, I believe they will become powerless," Hasyim said, adding that those hardliners were not capable of establishing an international network.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) chairman Amidhan said that the U.S. could not force its own perception of terrorism on Indonesia.

"We welcome any discussion on terrorism but we will refuse if the hardliners here are likened with those in the Middle East," he told the Post.

Amidhan said that he did not agree with the classification of Muslims into liberal, moderate, radical and fundamental groups because it tended to disunite Muslims.

"If they can prove that the country's hardliners are involved in the international terrorist network, then they can put legal measures on them," he said.

Joko Susilo, legislator at the House of Representatives' Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, said that the U.S. had failed to draw the sympathy of Indonesian Muslims with its recent policies, especially in the Palestine-Israel conflict.

"I am a bit skeptical about his visit, what hidden agenda will he will bring to this Muslim majority country? But I would like to say that we agree with the fight against terrorism but not against Islam," he said.

Joko said that hardline groups only represented one percent of the whole Muslim population here and had no connection to global terrorism although some of the leaders were graduates of universities in the Middle East.

"Still, we do not have the right to limit their aspirations of implementing their principles faithfully as long as it is not against the public interests," he said.

Joko suggested Powell visit Muslims at the grassroots level in villages to see the bigger picture of Indonesian Muslims.

"Please come with friendship. Muslims here are very open and tolerant. Hardliners are not the mainstream of religious groups in Indonesia. They are the minority who shout more than they act," he said.