Clarifying Terrorism in Indonesia, a letter to the Commission for
International Religious Freedom
Christian PersecutionInternational Christian Concern International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Box 941
Washington, D.C. 20006-1846
Tel: (301) 989-1708
Fax: (301) 989-1709 E-Mail: icc@persecution.org
Web: www.persecution.org
December 6, 2001
Subject: Clarifying Terrorism in Indonesia
To: Steve McFarland
Executive Director
Commission for International Religious Freedom
From: Steven Snyder
President
International Christian Concern
Dear Steve,
Having just returned from Poso, Indonesia, I thought that I would draw to your
attention a statement that was made in the Commission's letter to Colin Powell, a
statement that may give the wrong impression. The statement I am referring to is,
"…extremist militia group Laskar Jihad have entered central Sulawesi, massed outside
the city of Tentena, and have started attacking and killing Christians there in
retaliation for killings of Muslims that occurred last year." The attacks on the villages
"last year" were initiated by the Jihad against predominantly Christian villages
(according to the Poso government figures, 45% were Christian residents,
outnumbering the 30% Muslim residents). Yes, there were retaliations by Christians,
but it should be noted that before the conflict both Muslims and Christians lived in
harmony, until the Laskar Jihad began their campaign of terror by recruiting and
introducing jihad bands from outside the area, mainly from the nearby Mo! luccas
where the Jihad forces successfully uprooted nearly a half million Christians and
burned down their homes and churches. It was mostly these instigators from outside
the Poso region who were attacked by the Christians who were only trying to defend
their homes and families. I am not going to say that the Christians are totally innocent
or justified in their acts of violence in Indonesia, but the violence should be put in the
proper context. The campaign of terror began and continues to be perpetrated by the
Laskar Jihad and their leader Jafar Umar Thalib, who should be brought to justice. The
man responsible for leading the Jihad cell in the Poso region is Ayib Safrudin. The
U.S. government should demand that he too be put on trial. Jafar Umar Thalib has
faced no worse than a limited period of house arrest earlier this year, while Alex
Manuputty, the head of the Front for a Sovereign Maluku, is facing prosecution for no
more than raising a separatist fla! g. It appears that no one dares to touch the Laskar
Jihad, but it's OK to detain and charge Christians, like the three in jail in Poso, one
who has been handed down the death sentence. Meanwhile, a lot of brutality against
Christians has continued with no charges brought against the Jihad leaders
responsible for initiating the attacks.
It is also important to note the connection between the Muslim terrorists in Indonesia
with that of Osama bin Laden. For example, Mr. Al Chaidar, the leader of one of 14
factions of the radical Darul Islam movement, told the Sydney Morning Herald
(September 28, 2001) that bin Laden's organization had sent more than 1.2 billion
rupiah, the equivalent of about $243,000, to fund anti-Christian operations in
Indonesia. There has been no such support from the outside to aid in any
"anti-Muslim operations" by the Christians. Mr. Chaidar was cited as saying: "Yes,
we've got funding and assistance from the Osama bin Laden group since we helped
Afghanistan in the 1980s." Mr. Al Chaidar was quoted earlier by the Jakarta-based
Rakyat Merdeka newspaper as saying that bin Laden's representatives had twice
traveled to Indonesia's Maluku islands, where Muslims have been waging holy war
against Christians. Mr. Al Chaidar said Darul Islam had maintained an "intensive
relationship" with Afgh! anistan since thousands of its members had gone there to
help fight the Russians in the 1980s. He added, "That's why I'm very sure that the
relationship between Osama bin Laden and some factions of Darul Islam here is very
special." Darul Islam, which dates back to the Dutch colonial times, as always
advocated for Indonesia becoming an Islamic state.
I might also draw your attention to my report on my trip to Indonesia which points out
that four Pakistani and two Afghani men were briefly detained in the Poso region after
being caught helping train the recruits of the Laskar Jihad.
To give you a better understanding of what has happened in Indonesia, I would like to
briefly summarize the Muslim-Christian conflict. There has been a dramatic increase
in attacks against the Christian community since the downfall of the Soeharto
Government. During 1998, over 500 churches were burned down in various parts of
Java. Then in November 1998, 22 churches in Jakarta were burned down and 13
Christians killed. In December (Christmas) 1998, 180 homes and shops of Christians
in Poso, Central Sulawesi were destroyed. On January 19, 1999, the Christians in
Ambon were attacked and the fighting continues to today. In November1999, attacks
against Christians began in Ternate, North Maluku and spread throughout the
Province. At Easter 2000, a second wave of attacks against the Christians of Poso
resulted in 800 homes and shops and churches of Christians being destroyed. On
May 23, 2000, the Christians responded to threats of a third wave. This time the
Christians fought to! protect themselves. The battles left 700 dead and 8,000 homes
and shops destroyed. In April 2001, a fourth wave of attacks against the Christians
began, that now included the Laskar Jihad warriors. Then in June 2001, the Laskar
Jihad officially declared a "jihad" against the Christians and began recruiting
thousands of young men from Aceh, Java and Maluku to wipe out the Christians of the
Poso area of Central Sulawesi. It is probably seen by more radical elements as the
time to move Indonesia into becoming an Islamic State.
The threat of continued terrorism is far from over in Indonesia, just as everywhere else
in the world. I received information from a respected western journalist who is
assigned to Indonesia (whose name I can't disclose) who said in an e-mail, "I have
underground information (impossible to verify and therefore hard for me to report) that
this Christmas, the bombing campaign [of churches] will resume but with a twist. We
hear that mosques may also be targeted in an attempt to pin the blame on Christians
and inflame sentiment. This sounds sensational, I know, but there is no way I can
verify it."
Corruption is also an important factor that has only prolonged the acts of terrorism in
Indonesia. There are more than just a few who continue to profit from the conflict
between the Muslims and Christians and it is to their advantage to try and have the
conflict continue. A police official that I interviewed in Poso said that there are those in
the military, police and government who profit from the terror campaigns. This is not a
specifically remarkable phenomenon in a country where corruption is all but
sanctioned. The ordinary daily corruption scandals are often made public by the local
newspapers, but to no avail. Profits made by NGOs as a result of the conflict are often
reported by the press. For example, the dubious financial earnings by dozens of local
NGOs that have come into existence during the conflict have given reason for these
NGOs to see the conflict continue...and possibly these profits even further support the
efforts of the Jihad. Government officials ch! arge illegal dues and fees, which are paid
to free goods (often arms) from the Jos Sudarso harbor, or remuneration in order to
obtain protection by security forces etc. To add to the already complicated issue,
there are routine night-time shootings and occasional terrorist attacks (with the
appearance of being carried out by Christians or Muslims) that are considered to take
place in order to keep both Christians and Muslims living in fear, and thus willing to
pay a fee for their "protection."
I trust that this information is helpful and that it can be presented to Colin Powell and
the White House as additional supportive information in pressing Indonesia's
government to help bring to an end the acts of terrorism against the Christians in
Indonesia.
Yours,
Rev. Steven L. Snyder
International Christian Concern
Posted: December 10, 2001.
http://www.persecution.org/letters/president-2001-12-06.html
|
