LAKSAMANA.Net, August 29, 2004 11:59 PM
Review - Politics: Islamic Backlash Warning
Laksamana.Net - Australia has been told not to lecture or pressure Jakarta about
dealing with the Bali bombers, or incur the risk of a backlash by Islamic
fundamentalists in Indonesia.
On Tuesday (24/8/04) Jhoni Hendrawan, alias Idris, was sentenced to 10 years in
prison for involvement in the bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last year. The
court acquitted him of helping plan the 2002 Bali attacks, though he had
acknowledged participating in the plot.
After Tuesday's ruling was announced, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer suggested
Idris be charged with murder. Downer phoned his counterpart Hassan Wirayuda and
said Australia could seek to extradite some of the bombers to face justice if
Indonesian legal efforts failed as a result of the Constitutional Court ruling.
Foreign affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said it was ridiculous to suggest the
bombers were escaping punishment for their crimes. He denied the bombers were
getting away "scot-free" and warned Australia against making suggestions they were.
"To have an overbearing expression of interest in the micro-management of the trials
may have the deleterious impact of leading to accusations Indonesia is bowing to
foreign pressure," he said. "This type of comment may give credence to critics of the
government.
"First and foremost, it is ludicrous to say that they may not face justice," he was
quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press.
"That's not quite the case when we look at where we are factually, because most of
the bombers are behind bars and justice has been served."
"Our recommended approach would be to have confidence in the legal process and in
the corridor of law rather than so-called diplomatic pressure," said Natalegawa.
Idris was sentenced to 10 years for providing the chemicals for the bomb in the hotel
attack. Prosecutors had accused him of playing a role in the Bali blasts, including
attending planning meetings and helping survey the two nightclubs targeted in the
attacks.
In earlier court sessions, he admitted he took part in both attacks, which he said were
aimed at America and "its henchmen who oppress Islam."
The 2003 attack on the Marriott Hotel killed 12, while the bombing of nightclubs on
Bali killed 202.
On Wednesday (25/8/04) Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he would leave
no stone unturned to ensure the militants were punished, and said he would "put all
the legitimate pressure we can on the Indonesian government to make certain that
these people remain in jail".
Howard said he was concerned the court ruling that allowed Idris to be acquitted
would also be used by others to successfully appeal their Bali bombing convictions.
"It doesn't automatically follow that people already in custody and already convicted of
offenses can be freed as a result of the Constitutional Court decision," Howard told
ABC.
Howard said it was hoped that Idris could be charged with other offenses over the Bali
attacks.
"Whether they can bring new charges against him, for example, of murder, it just
remains to be seen," he said.
Though Idris admitted taking part in both attacks the court ruled he could not be
prosecuted over the Bali case because the Constitutional Court last month prohibited
the retroactive application of the anti-terror law used to charge him. The law, however,
was applicable in the Marriott case, which occurred eight months after the anti-terror
law was enacted.
Ba'asyir on the Move
Australia hailed Jakarta's decision to charge militant cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir under
the tough anti-terror law, even though he would not be directly tried for the Bali
bombings.
Police submitted the case file on Ba'asyir to prosecutors Wednesday (25/8/04),
paving the way for his trial on charges of involvement in a string of terrorist attacks
across the country. Ba'asyir, who is accused of planning the Marriott bombing in
Jakarta and of leading the al Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), was later transferred
to Cipinang prison in East Jakarta.
Ba'asyir had been detained at Salemba Prison since being rearrested shortly after
finishing an 18-month jail sentence for immigration offenses in late April.
"We will be ready to charge him in two or three days because the dossier is clear on
the accusations. We hope to bring him to court within a week," Attorney General's
Office spokesman Kemas Yahya Rahman said.
He said prosecutors would charge the suspect under articles 14, 15, 17 and 18 of
Anti-terrorism Law No. 15/2003 for planning, abetting and perpetrating terrorist
attacks. Ba'asyir could face the death penalty if found guilty on the charges.
"Evidence shows that he planned the Marriott bombing. He is also implicated in the
discovery of explosives on Jl. Sri Rejeki in Semarang, Central Java, and several
witnesses have testified that he was the leader of JI," said Kemas.
Ba'asyir and his supporters have accused the Indonesian government of bowing to
foreign pressure by seeking to re-try him for terrorism.
Downer said in Canberra that Australia just wanted to see Ba'asyir and those behind
the Bali blasts jailed, and how that was achieved was a matter for the Indonesians.
"The issue for us is that Ba'asyir face justice for his alleged involvement in terrorism,"
he was quoted as saying by Agence France Presse.
"Ba'asyir is the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, which was the organization
responsible for the Bali bombing," Downer added.
'Military Threat' for Australians
Separately, it was revealed that the Australian public ranks Indonesia as the country's
greatest military threat, according to a study by a defense think-tank.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute said Wednesday (25/8/04) it had surveyed
opinion polls on defense issues dating back to the 1960s and found Australians now
saw less chance of a foreign security threat than at any time in the past 30 years.
"However, to the extent that the public identifies a security threat to Australia, there is
a greater consensus than ever before that the threat comes from one country:
Indonesia," it said.
"Notwithstanding improved bilateral relations particularly during the 1980s and 1990s,
the public's concern about Indonesia has increased almost consistently since opinion
polls first began to track it in the late 1960s," it said.
A day later it was announced that Australia is to buy cruise missiles that will give it
the most effective air combat capability in Southeast Asia.
The acquisition, part of an increasingly robust response to the threat of terrorism and
instability in the region, was immediately questioned by neighboring Indonesia.
"We have to ask ourselves against whom this long-range cruise missile is being
directed," Natalegawa said Thursday (26/8/04)
The air-to-surface missiles, which can be fired from fighters and maritime surveillance
aircraft, have a range of 400 kilometers and will enter service towards the end of the
decade. "We're not threatening our northern neighbors," Downer said.
Ready for Next Marriot
Jakarta's heavily armed new anti-terror squad gave an impressive demonstration on
Thursday (26/8/04) of how it would react to another car bomb in the capital.
Brandishing hi-tech US-made automatic rifles, members of the 75-strong "Detachment
88" unit also showed their skills in a house-storming operation staged at the national
Police headquarters.
Inaugurating the squad at a ceremony held shortly afterwards, Jakarta police chief
Firman Gani said the unit would play a crucial role in preventing a repeat of attacks
such as last year's strike on the Marriot hotel.
Yudhoyono Still Favorite
Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is well ahead of current
president Megawati Sukarnoputri in a recent poll by the International Foundation for
Election Systems (IFES). Of 1,250 respondents, 62% said they would vote for
Yudhoyono in the upcoming second round of the first ever-direct presidential ballot.
Megawati garnered the support of only 28% of the respondents in face-to-face
interviews with conducted from August 7-14.
In its latest survey, the Washington-based pollster International Foundation for
Election Systems (IFES) found that 63.1% of respondents believed that Yudhoyono
would make the best president, beating Megawati, who was chosen by 28.5% of
respondents.
IFES said the survey underscored the inability of the parties' political machinery to
determine their supporters' preference.
"However, this finding must be treated with caution, and is likely to change between
now and September 20 for a number of reasons," IFES said.
In the first round of the election, Yudhoyono enjoyed broad support from supporters of
political parties who had nominated their own candidates, including Megawati's
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
IFES said that results of its surveys conducted before the July 5 election had
overstated the support for Yudhoyono. "With one month to go until the run-off, the
relative standings may change significantly," it said.
Most pollsters, including IFES, had predicted prior to the July 5 elections, that
Yudhoyono and his running mate Jusuf Kalla would garner more than 40% of the vote
but the pair collected 33.6%, according to the General Elections Commission (KPU)
manual vote-count.
IFES senior advisor Hank Valentino said Megawati could still do much to challenge
Yudhoyono in the runoff by capitalizing on her status as the incumbent.
"As the incumbent, Megawati has a greater opportunity to ensure her message is
being seen more during this time period," Valentino said.
Yudhoyono, who was nominated by the Democrat Party, the Crescent Star Party and
the Indonesia Unity and Justice Party (PKPI), has now won the endorsement of the
Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which received 8.3 million votes in the
legislative election thanks in large part to its anti-corruption platform.
PKS officially endorsed Yudhoyono and Kalla on Thursday (26/8/04), asking party
members and sympathizers to vote for the pair in the run-off.
Speaking at a joint press conference at PKS headquarters, PKS leader Hidayat Nur
Wahid and Yudhoyono spoke of the six-point political agreement they had reached,
which included, among others, a commitment to promote good governance, improve
the education sector, uphold the supremacy of the law and create more job
opportunities.
"Pak Susilo also promised not to promote a militaristic rule or to create a police
state," Hidayat said.
The announcement followed a series of meetings between Yudhoyono and members
of the PKS' law-making body to discuss various issues, particularly the two parties'
political platforms.
Win at all Costs
Leaders of the coalition of six parties who have committed to help President Megawati
Sukarnoputri win the September run-off met at Megawati's official residence on Friday
(27/8/04) ostensibly to mobilize support among their constituents
Golkar, which won most votes in the April 5 legislative election, has formed a loose
coalition with the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), the
Christian-oriented Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) and the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to support Megawati in the runoff.
The four parties control a total of 307 seats in the 550-member House of
Representatives. Later, the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI
Marhaenisme) and the Reform Star Party (PBR) joined forces and jumped on the
anti-Yudhoyono bandwagon.
Leader of the coalition and Golkar Party, Akbar Tanjung, said all chapters and
branches of the four parties would be involved in the campaign.
Critics say the coalition simply seeks to preserve the status quo, and resists the
reform spirit that put an end to three decades of authoritarian rule in 1998.
Also at the meeting were PPP leader Hamzah Haz, PDS leader Ruyandi Hutasoit,
PNI Marhaenisme leader Sukmawati Sukarnoputri and top executives of the PBR.
"Those who boast of reform know nothing of change. Our candidate has made
changes in her three-year tenure as President, and it will continue should she be
elected," said Tanjung, leader of the grand coalition.
He said the coalition would convince the public that under Megawati the country would
be politically stable and free of corruption, and pluralism would be maintained.
Neutral stance
Wiranto and Amien Rais, who finished third and fourth respectively in the first round of
the presidential election pledged to respect and support whoever was elected
president.
"We give our party leaders and sympathizers the freedom to vote for either candidate
in the upcoming election," Rais said after a meeting attended by 27 central executive
board members and 32 regional leaders of his National Mandate Party (PAN) on
Friday evening.
"We urge all our supporters to exercise their right to vote based on their conscience,
while taking into account the reform agenda," Rais said.
Rais earlier met with Megawati at her residence in Kebagusan, South Jakarta. Rais
said he also met with Yudhoyono and Kalla to talk about how to promote honesty and
fairness in the run-off.
Earlier in the day, Wiranto and his running mate, Solahuddin Wahid, nominated by
the Golkar Party, announced they would not endorse either presidential candidate in
the run-off. Wiranto finished third in the first round and launched an unsuccessful effort
to be included in the run-off ballot, arguing irregularities in the electoral process.
Wiranto said he had decided not to back either candidate. "We are not party
members. We have no obligation to follow the political line of Golkar," he said.
Defense Bill Quandary
Deliberations on the controversial Defense (TNI) Bill kicked off on Thursday (26/8/04)
amid warnings that the military's territorial functions could pave the way for a revival of
its political role.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Hari Sabarno has insisted
regional military commands would be maintained for defense purposes only but the
United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the
Crescent Star Party (PBB), have all expressed opposition to the presence of military
institutions down to the district level.
The largest faction in the House of Representatives, President Megawati
Sukarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has fought shy of
demanding the closure of regional military commands, suggesting simply that the
military focus its territorial operations in border areas.
Golkar remains undecided but has said the traditional doctrine of unity between the
military and the people is obsolete.
According to the Bill, the TNI's basic functions include conducting territorial missions
to help the government improve the state's defenses, organizing military training for
civilians and upholding the doctrine of unity between the military and the people. One
of its provisions will allow military officials concurrently to hold certain civilian posts.
Human-rights activists and military experts have suggested the military fall under the
supervision of the Defense Ministry in order to build a more professional force.
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