LAKSAMANA.Net, October 19, 2003 09:53 PM
Review - Politics: Four Hours in Bali
Laksamana.Net - US President George W. Bush will arrive in Bali Wednesday
(22/10/2003) for a four-hour stopover after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic
Co-operation meeting in Bangkok.
Bush and Megawati are to discuss the war on terrorism during the fleeting visit.
In an interview with SCTV television network, the US leader said his mission was to
urge Indonesia to promote its moderate, peaceful brand of Islam and to stop a small
group of "hate-filled" terrorists from determining the country's future.
Bush is also scheduled to meet Syafii Maarif, the chairman of the 30 million-strong
Islamic organization Muhammadiyah and Hasyim Muzadi, the head of Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU).
Yet pronouncements by Bush in the run-up to the Asian tour did little to convince
regional leaders or Muslims in the region that the US President had learned any
lessons.
Muzadi was quoted by Associated Press as saying on Thursday "Bush should listen.
We don't want to see the birth of another Osama (bin Laden)."
"In Indonesia, radicalism is on the rise because many Muslims see the invasion of
Iraq as another example of American's neo-imperialism," Maarif was quoted as
saying.
Four US-made F-16s will patrol the skies before the arrival of Air Force One and four
warships and 5,000 police will be on alert from Sunday onwards around the island.
Message for Bush
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa told a press conference that
Indonesia also had a message for Bush. Indonesia believes that "there are no short
cuts to tackle terrorism other than through a legal process (which) respects human
rights," Natalegawa said.
"We have done real concrete things in combating terrorism," he said, citing the
arrests of 35 Bali suspects. Of these, three have been sentenced to death and 25
have received jail terms after open trials.
It was reported earlier that Washington wanted Bali airport to be closed to flights three
hours before Bush's arrival and two hours after he takes off.
But Minister of Transport Agum Gumelar said Jakarta would implement standard
measures for securing visits by heads of state, including Bush's upcoming stopover in
Bali.
"We apply similar standard procedures for visits by foreign leaders, so there will be no
special treatment for President Bush during his planned visit," the minister was
quoted as saying.
Also for 'security reasons', the US demanded that only a small number of media
people be allowed to cover a joint press conference by the two presidents.
Waiting for the Next Attack
If Bush was nervous about touching down on Indonesian soil, given the widespread
anti-US sentiment here, he will have been spooked by remarks attributed to the new
chief of the government's anti-terrorism board.
Police General Ansyaad Mbai was quoted as saying Thursday that Indonesia is still
"very weak" fighting terrorism because of soft laws and is just waiting for the next
attack.
Speaking to foreign ambassadors, Mbai asked, "has our success in the Bali
investigations been able to ensure that we can stop terrorist actions in Indonesia? My
answer is a clear no. We are very weak."
Indonesia was vulnerable without laws that could root out attacks at the planning level,
said Mbai, who also blamed the domestic press for giving militants too much column
space to express their views.
"Look at how they report Al-Ghozi as if it's the homecoming of a great hero from a
battle," said Mbai, commenting on the media coverage of the return of the corpse of
Indonesian Muslim militant Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi, shot dead by Philippine troops.
Militant supporters raised banners idolizing Al-Ghozi when his body arrived at his East
Java home before dawn on Thursday (16/10/03).
The military said al-Ghozi was killed in a clash. But officials in the area said there had
been no reports of a battle, giving rise to speculation that he may have been caught
earlier and then executed.
His mother said Monday that her son died a martyr and she wanted his body to be
handed over to the family for burial.
Rais Speaks Out
MPR speaker Amien Rais on Monday told a World Economic Forum audience in
Singapore that boosting intelligence services and cutting off the flow of illicit funds to
groups intent on terror attacks were essential for security and to prevent Islam
appearing in an unfavorable light.
Rais, former leader of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's
second-largest Islamic group, said it was time to take a closer look at education in
Indonesia and particularly at Islamic madrassah schools that have served as fertile
ground for recruiting to terror networks.
"The government seems a bit hesitant to pinpoint schools as cells of spreading
terrorism," he said, adding that the government could be afraid that a crackdown
would result in a violent backlash.
Rais refrained from commenting on Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the jailed cleric whom many
Jemaah Islamiyah members around the region recognize as their leader but whom a
court this year ruled as not being connected to the organization.
Christmas Bomber Jailed
A court has convicted an Islamic militant of staging a bombing attack against the
Philippine ambassador's house in Jakarta almost three years ago.
The court sentenced 33-year-old Abdul Jabar to 20 years in prison. He was also found
guilty Monday (13/10/03) of involvement in two church bombings on Christmas Eve,
2000.
State prosecutors had urged judges to sentence Jabar to life in prison for his role in
preparing and setting off the explosives that killed two Indonesians and injured the
Philippine diplomat.
The prosecutors said the attack was staged to avenge the deaths of Muslims in the
separatist conflict in the southern Philippines.
Jabar confessed in court that he drove a van packed with explosives from the West
Java town of Cirebon to the Philippine ambassador's house in Jakarta. He also
admitted taking part in a string of church bombings that killed 19 people.
Police have blamed both attacks on the Muslim militant group Jemaah Islamiyah,
which has been linked to the al Qaeda terror network. The bomber told judges he
plans to appeal his conviction.
Two other militants, Amrozi and Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, were implicated in the
attack on the Philippine ambassador.
Amrozi has been sentenced to death for his role in last year's Bali bombing and
al-Ghozi was shot to death in a gun battle with police in the Philippines on Sunday.
Ready for Ramadhan (and Bush)
The country's second biggest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah, has set the first
day of the holy fasting month of Ramadhan as Monday, October 27 and the first day
of Idul Fitri on Tuesday, November 25," Muhammadiah secretary HM Good Will Zubir
said Tuesday (14/10/03).
A few hours later the jailed head of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Muhammad Riziq
Shihab, warned city officials to be "stern in carrying out the law" and to shut down
bars, discos and nightclubs during Ramadhan.
If not, they could face wrath from "people who will take matters into their own hands,"
said Shihab, who is serving seven months for instigating violence during a series of
attacks on entertainment centers by FPI members in Jakarta last year.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso is expected next week to issue a decree ordering
nightclubs, bars, discos, saunas, massage parlors and games parlors closed for the
month.
The decree does not explicitly order a ban on the sale of alcohol but any violation of
the closure order could cost businesses their licenses.
"A mere decree will be useless. Police must have the guts to arrest and prosecute
people who break the law during Ramadhan," said Shihab.
Shihab's supporters marched Friday (17/10/03) to the US embassy to protest against
US President George W. Bush's plan to visit Indonesia.
The FPI supporters denounced the visit, saying Bush had committed crimes against
humanity in countries including Afghanistan and Iraq.
"We will do everything to refuse Bush," FPI spokesman Habib Muchsin Alatas was
quoted as saying.
The demonstrators also demanded the government end diplomatic relations with the
United States.
Bouteflika State Visit
The four-day state visit by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was almost a
non-event, coming just before the biggest summit of Islamic leaders in three years in
Putrajaya, Malaysia.
The Algerian President met with President Megawati Sukarnoputri before both leaders
flew to attend the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit on Thursday and
Friday.
A number of trade deals were signed between the two countries, along with
memoranda of understanding on cooperation in small and medium enterprises,
fisheries, tourism, and trade.
Megawati said she and Bouteflika shared the view that Islam was "moderate and
tolerant". She added that the two leaders wished to see the United Nations play a
"central role" in the rebuilding of Iraq after the US invasion.
Statements issued by both sides stressed the challenges facing Muslim countries
and other issues of common concern.
Jewish Power
The main challenges facing Muslim countries were largely sidelined at the OIC)
summit, with the conference of leaders from 57 nations opening with calls for the
world's Muslims to unite against "a few million Jews" who allegedly rule the world by
controlling the world's major powers.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who chaired the summit, lost no time
in speaking out for Muslims everywhere.
Mahathir, due to step down at the end of the month after 22 years in power, launched
a vitriolic attack on what he described as Jewish domination of the world and Muslim
nations' inability to adequately respond to it.
"We need guns and rockets, bombs and warplanes, tanks and warships for our
defense," Mahathir said.
Using anti-Zionist language that would see him instantly incarcerated without trial in
the US, he said "1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a few million Jews. There
must be a way."
"The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today the Jews rule the
world by proxy," he said, when suggesting new tactics other than lashing out violently
against "the enemy," including leveraging the political, economic and demographic
forces at the disposal of Muslim nations.
Mahathir described this as a "strategic retreat" that would lead to "final victory."
Other leaders also attacked Israel, focusing on its aggression against the
Palestinians in the occupied territories.
The OIC leaders on Friday issued a strongly worded statement condemning Israel's
recent air strike inside member country Syria, and its occupation of Palestinian
territory.
Tanjung Trails
About 25,000 Golkar Party supporters are expected to attend the party's 39th
anniversary celebration in Denpasar, Bali, this week.
House of Representative (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tanjung, convicted felon and leader of
the party, said Thursday the celebration would be aimed at boosting unity among
supporters ahead of the 2004 elections.
Tanjung was quoted as saying Tuesday that the result of regional conventions to date
"does not meet my expectations" while threatening that the supervisory board of the
convention would clarify the data and would take immediate action if there had been
violations.
Out of 18 Golkar provincial chapters that have reported their regional convention
results to date, Tanjung has lost out in six provinces: Central Java, Yogyakarta, South
Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, Southeast Sulawesi and North Maluku.
Former military (TNI) chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto was first choice in seven provinces and
Tanjung won in four.
In Central Java, a Golkar stronghold during the Suharto regime, former Kostrad (Army
Strategic Reserves Command) chief Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto emerged the
winner, followed by businessman Aburizal Bakrie, Wiranto, media mogul Surya Paloh
and Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.
The running tally so far from 35 regencies and municipalities in Central Java shows
Wiranto finished among the top five in 34 branches, Tanjung 30 branches and
Prabowo 13.
Nonetheless Tanjung's position remains secure in the national convention plan to
shortlist five presidential candidates later this month.
Canberra gets Cotan
After an 18-month diplomatic vacuum, Jakarta has finally appointed a new
ambassador to Australia. The Australian Government has been asked to approve the
appointment of 49-year-old Imron Cotan, the current Charge d'Affaires at the embassy
in Canberra.
Former Jakarta Post editor in chief, Susanto Pudjomartono, was Megawati's choice
but he is now packing his warm clothing to take over as Jakarta's ambassador to
Moscow.
One member of the parliament's Commission I on foreign affairs, Yasril Ananta
Baharudin, was quoted in the Australian press as saying Cotan was the best person
for the job as Indonesia needed an experienced diplomat for such an important post.
Cotan has staunchly held up Indonesia's end, sharply criticizing Australia, and his
appointment marks a victory for the Commission over the executive branch.
Since the previous ambassador was recalled in May last year, Cotan has been highly
vocal, particularly over the issue of raids by federal authorities on the homes of
Indonesians in Australia in the wake of the Bali bombings.
He warned Canberra at the time that the way Indonesians were being treated would
have repercussions in Indonesia.
Kopassus Visit Off
Cotan will be straight in at the deep end as moves towards renewing links between
the Australian Defense Forces and the Indonesian military's elite Special Forces unit,
Kopassus have been hit by a new spat.
The ties were severed in the wake of Australia's intervention in East Timor, but since
then plans were afoot to establish joint counter-terrorism exercises.
These have been put on hold, with Jakarta refusing Australian requests to exclude
members of Kopassus with a history of human rights abuse.
Maj. Gen. Sriyanto, the current Kopassus commander, had been invited to observe
security arrangements for the Rugby World Cup. But the Australian Defense Force
objected to this.
Sriyanto is facing trial in Jakarta for murder in a human rights court, over his alleged
involvement in the infamous "Tanjung Priok Massacre" in 1984. He is alleged to have
ordered his troops to open fire into a crowd of civilians.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the government would have reservations
about anybody coming to Australia who's been involved or allegedly involved in serious
human rights abuses. But he pointed out that the Indonesian military feel that it's not
Australia's job to pick and choose individual officers who can participate in exercises
and that's been their position for some time.
Dr. Harold Crouch, from the Australian National University, commented that human
rights abuses have long been part of a deeply entrenched culture within Kopassus,
citing the corps motto that if one of their members gets killed in an operation they will
kill ten of the other side.
Sidney Jones from the International Crisis Group said it was appropriate that Australia
refuse to allow Kopassus to dictate the terms of restoring relations, arguing that
allowing people that have been responsible for serious human rights into the country
for additional training would then enable them to do the same with greater expertise.
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