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Jakarta Post

Reactions to terrorism

If we look up the word “terror” in Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary of 1984, we will see the following definition: A state of intense fear; one that inspires fear; a cause of anxiety; reign of terror; or violence committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands

Frans H. Winarta (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, July 31, 2009

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Reactions to terrorism

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f we look up the word “terror” in Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary of 1984, we will see the following definition: A state of intense fear; one that inspires fear; a cause of anxiety; reign of terror; or violence committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.

The bombings at JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels have succeeded in creating intense fear in the population.

There was panic to such an extent that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) held a press conference in the garden of Merdeka Palace six hours after the bombings. President SBY looked angry and emotional when condemning these acts of terrorism.

The bombings were followed by threats of other bombings at JW Marriott Hotel in Medan, the Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta and so forth.

This incident happened at a time when people had felt secure for last four years, and security forces, particularly the National Police (Polri), did not suspect any escalated acts of terrorism, especially after the recent arrest and punishment of several terrorists.

Just as everyone had let their guard down and security was a bit loose, the perpetrators took advantage of the situation at the JW Marriott Hotel, Jakarta.

Security policies in public places, especially in hotels, need to be changed drastically because the recent hotel bombings happened simultaneously. Was it true that the hotels’ guest entrances are guarded 24 hours?

Were there any entry points that were not guarded, such as entrances from parking lots, from apartments that are usually connected to the hotels, from theaters and so forth? Some shopping malls have even failed to install metal detectors at certain points.

In general, the July 17 bombings succeeded in creating a panic, and the perpetrators would be pleased to hear that the fear they created resulted in panic, anxiety and chaos in society. If people’s activities come to a halt, the act of terrorism has served its purpose.

The government’s credibility will decrease temporarily, but the terror must be fought by people carrying on with business as usual.

The people’s hope is for the government’s readiness and efficiency in finding the perpetrators, the group behind the bombings, the leader of the terrorist group, and the financial source for the training. If the government can catch the perpetrators and uncover those behind these suicide bombings, people will feel safer and will continue to do business as usual.

The government needs to review its policy that seems too soft on people suspected of provoking and motivating bombers.

The government’s policy on reducing poverty and unemployment also needs to be reviewed because suicide bombers in this country are members of the lower classes who do not have good education
or a steady job. Almost all neighbors of previous bombers did not realize there were bombers in their midst.

The public knowledge and cooperation is strongly needed in fighting crime. Cooperation between police and the public in fighting crime is badly needed.

There will be a decrease in the number of tourist visits to Indonesia, but this will only be temporary.

With the cooperation and the government’s willingness to protect the public, as well as its strictness in arresting perpetrators and people who helped orchestrate acts of terrorism, the residual fears will hopefully only be temporary. People will go back to business as usual after the bombing is uncovered and perpetrators is arrested.

In order to fight terrorism, the Indonesian people need to stand tall and be brave to continue the struggle towards a fair and prosperous society because the founding fathers of the Republic of Indonesia has chosen a secular state, so the Indonesian people do not have to pay attention to terrorists’ threats that use religion in the wrong way as the basis for their struggle.


    Dr. Frans H Winarta is an advocate in Jakarta and chairman of the Advising Council of the Indonesian Legal Studies Foundation (YPHI).

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