Posts this week: Christmas contrasts in Indonesia; controlling the military in Papua; pilot New Columbo Plan gives rise to hope for more interest in Indonesia trade and investment; don't call the consulate if you've been a galah

Selamat datang ke Indonesia Today, the Indonesia Institute's blog,

This week Australians felt closer to terrorism than we have since the Bali bombings in 2002. It was devastating to watch a hostage situation unfolding in the middle of Sydney city and to lose two innocent people in the conclusion. The Muslim community immediately felt the aspersions of extremism and reacted promptly in the glare of the media to distance themselves from the madman who carried out the attack, and his poisonous IS ideologies.

Australian Muslim leaders were unified and vocal in rejecting Man Monis and his actions, and some of the first to gather in grief at the scene. It was with warmth and solidarity that people took up #illridewithyou to assure the Muslim community that they were safe and supported as the news of Islamic extremism cast its long shadow over normal, rights respecting Muslims. Indonesia also relayed the display of tolerance and #illridewithyou was widely reported in the Indonesia media.

Indonesia too, is on the alert for an act of terrorism. To Indonesia, the threat of terrorism is always on the horizon. Indonesia has now become the biggest supplier of IS fodder; 514 Indonesians have gone to Syria and Iraq to participate in the wars compared with around 150 Australians. Malaysia has just deported 12 Indonesians who were headed to Syria to fight for IS.This represents an enormous challenge and need for constant supervision to find and paralyze training camps. Poso in Sulawesi is currently being used as a training ground for IS bound fighters who are using local targets as bomb practice.

Unlike Australia, where Christmas is a pretty relaxed affair and many police are on holidays, Indonesian police are preparing 'Operation Candle' to safeguard celebrations and try to keep a lid on any religiously motivated violence. They will deploy almost 146,000 police. But it isn't all pitchforks and villagers, tinsel is certainly not taboo in Indonesia. Christmas is welcome in many areas and Jakarta malls rival any Australian attempts to create a 'Christmas atmosphere'. Like most things Indonesian, Christmas is also a contradiction.

On behalf of the Indonesia Institute, selamat hari Natal dan tetap aman sepanjang musim meriah.

Editor


New posts this week:

Message from the President of the Indonesia Institute, Ross B Taylor AM.

"Christmas of contrasts in Indonesia," by Catriona Croft-Cusworth, December 2014.

"Indonesian military kill more civilians in Papua: history of failed military containment does not bode well for Jokowi," by Warren Doull, December 2014.

"Not a moment too soon: New Columbo Plan put to use for in-country study in Indonesia," by Lauren Gumbs, December 2014.

"The cost of getting out of trouble overseas," by Ross B Taylor, December 2014.

Extra reading:

Freedom of speech in Indonesia threatened by arbitrary blasphemy law: The BBC takes up the report that Jakarta Post's editor, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, is under investigation as a suspect in a 'blasphemy' case.

Rhonda and Ketut popularise and reflect Australia and Indonesia's relationship.

The wet season is beginning and a fatal landslide has taken the lives of 80 in Banjarnegara Jawa Tengah.

Such natural disasters create vast numbers of Internally Displaced Persons as well as security concerns for Indonesia.

What do Poso, Aceh and Papua conflicts have in common?

Operasi Lilin akan memastikan perayaan natal berjalan tertib, lancar, dan aman.

Christmas wishes to members and friends of the Indonesia Institute

Dear members and friends,

For those of you in Australia particularly, we trust you will have a very special Christmas and enjoyable holiday period. For our friends in Indonesia and other parts of Asia, our best wishes for the festive season.

As the year comes to a conclusion, our board extends our thanks from all of us at the Indonesia Institute (Inc) for your membership, support and comments during the year. Your institute has enjoyed a year of increasing membership (145 members) and considerable activities.

 

We also saw the bi-lateral relationship get back to 'normal' - although many of us feel 'normal' is below the level that we should accept; particularly in business and trade. There is much work to do.

 

As we head into 2015 our region, and World, faces some extreme challenges on a number of fronts. Most obvious is the rise-and-rise of what people refer to as 'extremist Islam' such as ISIL and its offshoots. A number of thoughtful Muslim leaders feel that in many cases Islam has been simply hijacked by despot regimes made-up of bitter and dis-affected people. This is a valid point , but the challenge for Muslim leaders around the world is: what are you going to do about it?

 

Australia works very closely and successfully with Indonesia in monitoring and rejecting extremist groups such as JI and MIT, plus radical preachers including Abu Bakar Bashir. Yet the number of people joining the ISIL network continues to increase in Indonesia. In the meantime, Malaysia is moving towards a more fundamentalist approach to not only religion, but also politics. This is a disturbing trend.

 

So there is much to be done. A close bi-lateral relationship between countries such as Indonesia and Australia is absolutely critical and with a new Indonesian president being elected in 2015 there is much to feel positive about.

 

So from all of us at ii we wish you every happiness for the festive season and may 2015 bring harmony and respect for humans throughout our region.

 

With warmest wishes

 

Ross Taylor

 

Ross B. Taylor AM

President