The Jakarta Post, October 03, 2005
Intolerance, hatred fertile soil for terrorism
Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post
The Air Force jet fighters were maneuvering on Sunday morning at low altitude near
the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta, in preparation for the Indonesian
Military's (TNI) 60th anniversary.
Such a scene would usually have invoked a sense of pride in those below; the
exercise becoming for them a symbol of the nation's strength and a demonstration of
the state's readiness to protect its citizens.
Only this time it was annoying, at least for a group of desperate men who were
discussing the increased fuel prices and also the fresh attacks on Bali.
"I am just afraid the jets will fall," said one of them, citing recent air crashes involving
both commercial and military aircraft.
"The pilots should fly directly to Bali to hunt down the terrorists. They don't need to
show off here," another said.
Their despair over the running of the nation, the fuel price increases in particular,
meant that rather than giving them a sense of security, the jets' presence only made
them feel more vulnerable.
On Saturday, just four days before Muslims enter the fasting month of Ramadhan, fuel
prices were raised by an average of 126.6 percent. The people had already been
feeling anxious over the recent bird flu fatalities in the country and polio's
reemergence.
And then Bali was bombed again. Three years ago, 202 people, mostly foreign
tourists, had been killed in a terrorist attack on the island. On Saturday, over 25
people were killed and dozens of others injured. People's suffering seems complete
now. Innocent people were killed and Bali's economy was dealt another blow. The
terrorists have succeeded in humiliating the nation.
After working hard to regain global trust following the Oct. 12 bombing in 2002, the
Balinese have overnight been ruined. It would not come as a surprise if action was
taken against non-Balinese residents, migrants from Java in particular. Emotional
demands, like calls for self-rule, may increase in the coming weeks.
World leaders condemned Saturday's barbaric acts. As usual, many groups from a
range of religious and social backgrounds will hold press conferences to formally
denounce the attacks and emphasize that Indonesia has zero tolerance for terrorism.
We Indonesians always insist that terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism (of any
kind) do not have a place in the hearts of the majority here, because we are a
peaceful nation. We strongly believe that only a very small number of people are
responsible for these evil acts. But no matter how small they are, terrorism in this
country has become an alarming issue, even by world standards.
Let us look into the mirror: Are we really as peaceful and as tolerant as we have
proclaimed ourselves to be to the world? Maybe -- though we long to deny it -- we are
not that sincere and honest.
There are many among us who are becoming intolerant of those who are of a different
faith, ideology or political party. The forced closures of places of worship, including the
Ahmadiyah mosques, have been incidents many of us have chosen to ignore.
Differences in religious interpretation or even cultural teachings are regarded as
unpardonable sins. The government, in many cases, is also reluctant to enforce the
law -- or is this incompetency -- because it does not want to create "unnecessary
problems" just to protect minorities.
Is the choice of Bali as the target of bombings just because many foreigners -- or
"infidels" -- visit the island? Or is it because the Balinese have a different religion and
culture from the majority of the population. Do the terrorists feel less guilty killing
people on Bali?
Do we really condemn all acts of terrorism? If so, our condemnation should be
reflected in our daily conduct. Or are some acts less condemned than others?
Innocent victims have fallen in Bali, and in many other places in the country. And
more victims will fall if we are not prepared to admit that we are a sick nation.
The state has an obligation to protect its citizens and anyone staying or living in its
territory. But the people are the most important part of the state. We cannot just
blame the government. No matter how strong the government is in its fight against
terrorism, if its lacks public support, more people will fall victim to those who maybe
rightly think they can commit a crime and walk away scot-free.
The writer can be reached at purba@thejakartapost.com
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