ABC AUSTRALIA, 29/04/2003
More Jakarta bombings expected
Defence analysts in Indonesia have warned of more bombings, following the third
attack in weeks last Sunday.
Security has been stepped up across the country following Sunday's bomb attack at
Jakarta's international airport.
Eleven people were injured after a pipe bomb exploded near an airport restaurant.
It was the second bomb attack in three days. Jakarta is pointing the finger of blame at
local separatists or the Jemaah Islamiah terror group.
The airport attack is a major setback for the Indonesian Government which is trying to
persuade foreign governments that security is improving.
By Sarah Gibson.
29/04/2003
Jemiah Islamiah
Initial suspicion for the bomb blast at Jakarta's Sukarno Hata international airport fell
on the Jemah Islamiah terror group.
It went off four days after the start of the treason trial of alleged JI spiritual leader, Abul
Baka Bashir and the subsequent arrest of 18 JI suspects.
"I notice that the minister for police and security affairs has made that link. The police
on the otherhand has said it's possibly linked to the Aceh rebels and it's similar to a
bomb according to the police that was detonated in Medan and they blame that on
the Aceh rebels Sakam," according to Dr Sandy Gordon, terrorism expert at the
Australian Defence Force Academy.
"These aren't new events in terms of Indonesia. We had the bombings on the
churches and the Bali bombings of course were of a vastly different order in terms of
the sophistication of the bombs and the numbers killed. But definitely this is an
ongoing cause for concern."
Others also point to the symbolism of the bomb which exploded at the airport and
near a US fast food outlet. But according to former Indonesian defence minister,
Professor Juwono Sudarsono, this bomb won't be the last.
"I think that these bombings will probably be repeated over the next couple of weeks,"
he says, "simply because these constitute the symbols of resistance against the
government on the part of the sympathisers."
"At the moment, we are not to sure about the identity of these current bombers, but
we suspect strongly that these would constitute symbolic resistance to the holding of
the trials and to the general - the climate of defiance against the government."
'Safe' declaration
Last week, US authorities declared Indonesia safe for the return of non-essential
personnel and diplomatic families who were evacuated in the aftermath of the Bali
bombings.
And despite the latest bomb, the US is not reversing its advice.
America last year gave 50 million US dollars towards police training and counter
terrorism.
The US embassy in Jakarta rejects suggestions that Indonesia's campaign against
terror has suffered a setback and says authorities have been heartened by recent
arrests and increased security around US diplomatic facilities.
"We believe that yes the police training has had a positive impact here in Indonesia,"
says Tim Gerhardseon, assistant information officer.
"We also feel that the support that we're giving the Indonesian police is just one small
part and certainly not the entire driving force towards reform."
"We think it's a very long process, something that has just recently got underway and
also feel that there's been very substantial progress."
Police reforms
Former Indonesian defence minister, Juwono Sudarsono, agrees that reform of the
police force is a long process that has only just begun.
He says Indonesia will never be able to deal with these or any other crimes until the
police force has the resources to do its job.
"One must think," he says, "that in the circumstances and there are too many cases
that are being handled by the police, not just terrorism but even for domestic security,
we have never been able to establish a strong and effective police force because the
resources and the manpower are just not there."
He thinks the Indonesian police will never have sufficent resources and wants more.
"Well, I think it's a matter of the statistics, the population of Jakarta is around 8
million and the police force is no more than about 35,000, so I think it's probably too
much to expect that they can anticipate every kind of bombing or terrorist acts or
semi-terrorist acts.
"I think realistically we need at least we need at least a 10 year plan to bolster the
Indonesian police and the military budget to make them more accountable, more
transparent and more fair."
29/04/2003 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
