[Indonesian President] Megawati says it: No place for radical Islam

The Straits Times ^ | 26 July 2002 | Derwin Pereira

[flamefront]

Hitting out at fringe militant groups, the President says Islam is a peaceful religion capable of creating prosperity

JAKARTA - President Megawati Sukarnoputri turned the political ratchet yesterday by sending a strong signal to Indonesians and the international community that there was no place for radical Islam in the country.

Speaking before the Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation, the 55-year-old leader launched a rare, biting attack on the 'narrow fanaticism' of fringe militant groups.

'We want to show that Islam is a peaceful religion and is capable of creating prosperity in the world,' she told the national congress of the 35-million-strong NU.

'With that view, we can help or save those groups which are small but often claim to represent all Muslims and impose their narrow views, which are actually harmful to religion and the nation.

'We can also broaden our religious horizons and shun narrow fanaticism and the view that differences are wrong.'

Political observers saw her comments as the first concerted attempt by the administration and moderate Muslim groups like the NU to marginalise extremists who, through public rancour, had painted a negative image of Indonesia abroad.

They said that the President's decision to make her views known before the NU was 'strategic' because it was the most moderate of all the Islamic groups and could use its grassroots reach to squeeze out the radicals.

Political commentator Rizal Malarangeng told The Straits Times: 'Extremists can penetrate other Muslim outfits in Indonesia easily. But they are going to face a brick wall with the NU, which traditionally has been their enemy.'

Ms Megawati's task was made easier given that the NU and other moderate groups, like Muhammadiyah, were prepared to back her stance.

Both organisations, for example, have joined forces with churches in Indonesia to oppose a bid by radical groups to push for Islamic law to be included in the Constitution.

Some believe that the President's views could also have the effect of calming the nerves of neighbouring countries and the United States.

They have for months been urging Jakarta to take a harder line against militants.

Well-placed sources said that she was 'more confident' about going on the offensive now, given US backing.

Doubts were cast on those efforts, however, after reports that Jaafar Umar Thalib, head of the notorious Laskar Jihad, was released from police detention late last night, ahead of his trial next week. An official in the Attorney General's Office said his release was 'a legal right and normal practice in most cases'.

His lawyer had given assurances that the militant leader, who is accused of inciting religious violence in Maluku, would not abscond.

The palace did not comment on Jaafar's release, having gained political mileage from the President making inroads into the NU with her tough stance.

Sources in her Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) said that Ms Megawati was keen to patch ties with the NU which soured last year after the ouster of then president Abdurrahman Wahid, who used to head it.

Given the PDI-P's secular-nationalist bent, it was in the party's interest to cultivate the Muslim ground or try to drive a wedge through the Islamic bloc, which poses a threat to the Megawati presidency today because of its sizeable presence in Parliament.

[flamefront]

Recall Indonesia is holds the largest population of Muslims of any state.

She draws the line with this statement. Let's see.

[RightWhale]

This is important. Statements such as this by prominent national leaders and Islamic organizations are beginning to add up. It is slow getting started, but they can turn Islam around and dump these fanatics.

[Post Toasties]

President says Islam is a peaceful religion capable of creating prosperity

Isn't she setting the bar awfully high here?

[JimSEA]

It has taken her long enough. You would think that as a female head of state, she would have at least tried befor this. As long as the do not a an Islamic state, the Islamists will keep attacking.

[tcostell]

Indonesia is Muslim, but it is a very tolerant culture. She's not exactly risking a backlash by stating this view. It's an opinion that's shared by the majority of Muslim Indonesians. (BTW, they are also very pro-American there.)

[Aquinasfan]

'We want to show that Islam is a peaceful religion and is capable of creating prosperity in the world,'

I don't think the Catholics in East Timor are buying that one. Islam means submission, and its history is one of conquest. In nations where Mohammedans comprise a majority of the population, non-Mohammedans exist in a "dhimmini" -ized status at the suffrage of the Mohammedans. Regarding prosperity, Mohammedans squandered the intellectual treasure that they pillaged from Eastern Christianity a long time ago.

[aimhigh]

Indonesia is Muslim, but it is a very tolerant culture.

Many Christians in Indonesia have sufferered under that tolerance.

[flamefront]

Not to be underestimated, right.

Nevertheless RightWhale's remark deserves to be underlined. This statement on its own weight spoken before the meeting of the largest Islamic group in Indonesia is a first real step in the right direction. Whether it results in needed reform to put these people in a civiized context, we will see.

On this side of the world, though, the public is just catching up with the full picture of what is - Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About the World's Fastest Growing Faith (by Robert Spencer). Daniel Pipes has well made this too.

The best results will be to keep proper walls intact while Islam removes their Jihadis. Else what do we beg for - an all out clash of civilizations?

[tcostell]

That violence is not religious, it's tribal. That the tribal differences also fall along lines of religion is coincidental. Besides, there is inter-racial violence in this country, but that doesn't mean that the country is endemically racist. I spent several months in Indonesia and I can assure you that the overwhelming majority of the people would never consider harming another person no matter what their faith.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[flamefront]

Arabs, true. But the vius has spread and it is a good sign when Indonesia puts itself on the line and to stop - Indonesia 'has al Qaeda camps'.

[JohnathanRGalt]

Azzam just moved their web site to Indonesia. I hope President Megawati takes a harder line against the jehadi militants than the U.S. authorities did when it was in Pennsylvania.

[Aquinasfan]

The best results will be to keep proper walls intact while Islam removes their Jihadis. Else what do we beg for - an all out clash of civilizations?

I agree, especially since Mohammedan countries have historically resisted conversion to Christianity or any other religion. Containment seems to be the best that we can hope for. And that means keeping Mohammedans in their own countries as much as is possible.