#4 I think the frustration of the West with Indonesia is understandable (e.g., Indonesia's top court cuts Suharto son jail term). Cronyism and corruption have long been frowned on in the U.S., and are offensive to our popular culture. Sadly, these concepts are new waters for Indonesia to navigate.
Nonetheless, I donât think Indonesia is a âMuslims get a pass, Westerners will sufferâ type country. For example, although we all get concerned to see Schapelle Corby get hit with a 20-year jail term (see, e.g., Corby's new man to apologise to Indonesia), she cetainly fared better than the [presumably Muslim] Pakistani recently sentenced to death in Indonesia for drugs trafficking (see this link). For a variety of social, health, and economic reasons Indonesia is just incredibly aggressive in attacking drug use, and will eliminate it to the extent possible -- including anybody found trafficking drugs. The people supporting these aggressive policies of Indonesia donât look all that islamified to me . . .
 By using music, drama, audio-visual aids and other youth-oriented mediums, [the Indonesian group Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa] YCAB has made drug prevention an enjoyable, school-based educational experience.
Indonesia is not turning a blind eye to terrorism, and is not codling islamofascism. Bashirâs outcome does not lead to any contrary conclusion, either.
The fact is that:The case against the Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was so weak that prosecuting him has been counterproductive . . . Warning: protests over Bashir risk putting Indonesia offside Indonesia has hardly been passive about terrorism. For example,the case against Bashir was in contrast to those against the Bali bombers, in which many of those convicted were sentenced to death or life imprisonment. * * * Dr Fealy also agreed with Sidney Jones, of the International Crisis Group, that one of the reasons the case against Bashir had been so thin was that the US Government refused to make available to Indonesian police Hambali, the senior JI figure the US arrested in Thailand in 2003. * * * "And the US are never going to allow Hambali to give evidence." Warning: protests over Bashir risk putting Indonesia offside |
INDONESIAN police have arrested 24 people suspected of involvement in deadly terrorist attacks, including the Bali bombings in which 202 people were killed, police and reports said today. The suspects were being held under anti-terrorism laws that allowed seven days detention without charge, police chief Da'i Bachtiar said. He refused to elaborate on the circumstances or reasons for their arrest. "We took action against them but we will announce the details later," he said.