The Jakarta Post, 6/23/2004 10:38:25 AM
Indonesian candidates stay silent on terrorism despite attack
warnings
JAKARTA (AFP): Islamic militants linked to Al-Qaeda are reportedly preparing to
strike again in Indonesia but presidential candidates -- with the apparent agreement of
voters -- have spent little time talking about terrorism.
They are focusing on bread-and-butter issues such as rising prices, high
unemployment and poor education and health care. And only two to three percent of
voters consider terrorism a major issue, according to opinion surveys.
The U.S. State Department says Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which staged a series of
bloody attacks in Indonesia in recent years including the 2002 Bali bombing, could
attack Western and other targets to disrupt the July 5 election.
Police chief Da'i Bachtiar says there are no grounds for that U.S. warning -- although
he adds that according to foreign intelligence reports, he himself may be the target of
a terrorist hit squad, along with other Indonesian officials and foreign diplomats.
But while major buildings in big cities are fortified against car bombs, tens of millions
of Indonesians do not see terrorism as touching their lives.
A poll by the International Foundation for Election Systems showed that reducing
corruption and controlling prices are seen as the most important policy issues,
followed by job creation. Only two percent mentioned terrorism.
Another reason why terrorism is not a major campaign issue is that there is relatively
little to argue about.
Harold Crouch, an Asian studies expert at Australian National University, said there
was no great difference between the candidates on the topic. "I actually think
Indonesia's been doing reasonably well on the terrorism front because they've arrested
a lot of the active people," he told AFP. (*)
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