Letter: Deradicalization and sense of hope

This refers to a comment on an article “Will deradicalization lead to de-Islamization?,” by Riza Sihbudi (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 14.)

Deradicalization will only work if the government can reach out and give the younger generation a sense of hope and a belief in a better future as Pancasila-loving Indonesian citizens.

Right now a large proportion of our young people do not feel part of the country. Especially if they are poor, they have the perception (correctly in many cases) that they have no chance of an education and no chance to get their feet on the first rung of the ladder to self-improvement.

They see the huge gap between the extremely rich and the extremely poor.

They perceive their political leaders as merely lining their own pockets, and pandering to their buddies in the “rich club”.

Until the government can convince poor youth that they are fully participating members of the nation who will benefit from national growth, they will always feel marginalized, victimized and on the outside looking in.

They are easy targets for the radical Islamists, who can quickly give these young people a sense of purpose and belonging that the State has so miserably failed to provide.

Deedee S.
Banten