D

espite the fact that many freed terrorists may return to their radical beliefs, "deradicalization" programs in Indonesia have proven quite effective, a new book reveals.

"Deradicalization programs are the best measures to eradicate terrorism and radicalism, as these programs will touch the issues to their deepest roots. These programs must be based on three key elements... humanism, spiritual and a human rights approach," the writer of the book titled Deradicalization for Terrorism, Petrus Golose, said recently at the University of Indonesia in Depok.

"Since the beginning in early 2000, Indonesia 's deradicalization programs have grouped terrorist convicts into five clusters. The first cluster are those who are completely rehabilitated, while the fifth cluster are those who are willing to enroll into the program but still maintain their radicalism," he added.

According to the reports in the book, *out of about 200 cases* there are 86 convicts who still refuse to let go of their radical beliefs, while there are 115 convicts who are willing to admit their beliefs were wrong. However, experts say that the country still needs to find ways and measures to improve the effectiveness of these deradicalization programs.

"Up until July 17th, there were some people who said *the rehabilitation program is a success because there haven't been any bombings for four years'," International Crisis Group Director Sidney Jones said when she presented her critical review of the book.

"That was incredibly simplistic and na*ve. Just as it is simplistic and na*ve to say that the program is a failure because there was a bombing." she added.

Jones said even in Saudi Arabia, where its deradicalization program is considered to be more advanced than that in Indonesia , there are still a number of program graduates who have returned to their radical views once they have been released.

"In Saudi Arabia , we have, on a list of 85 most wanted... we have 11 members who have become al-Qaeda executives in Yemen," she said.

"That doesn't mean that the program in Saudi Arabia is a failure, but it does mean that we have to think about what to do about the people who don't respond," she asked.

Jones said the country needed to further integrate cooperation between various state institutions, such as ministries and the police service.

"If we look at the program in Saudi Arabia, it is very integrated, with many different parts of the government involved," she said.

"In Indonesia, even though there is a little bit being done by the religious affairs ministry, a little bit being done by other departments, it's almost entirely *being done by* the police," she added. Criminologist Adrianus Meliala said he did not find it surprising to see the lack of integration and lack of enthusiasm of various state institutions to take part in deradicalization programs.