Clarifying Terrorism in Indonesia, a letter to the Commission for International Religious Freedom

International Christian Concern 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Box 941 Washington, D.C.  20006-1846 Tel: (301) 989-1708 Fax: (301) 989-1709

E-Mail: icc@persecution.org Web: www.persecution.org

December 6, 2001

Subject:	Clarifying Terrorism in Indonesia
To:	Steve McFarland Executive Director Commission for International Religious Freedom
From:	Steven Snyder  President  International Christian Concern

Dear Steve,

Having just returned from Poso, Indonesia, I thought that I would draw to your attention a statement that was made in the Commission's letter to Colin Powell, a statement that may give the wrong impression. The statement I am referring to is, "…extremist militia group Laskar Jihad have entered central Sulawesi, massed outside the city of Tentena, and have started attacking and killing Christians there in retaliation for killings of Muslims that occurred last year." The attacks on the villages "last year" were initiated by the Jihad against predominantly Christian villages (according to the Poso government figures, 45% were Christian residents, outnumbering the 30% Muslim residents). Yes, there were retaliations by Christians, but it should be noted that before the conflict both Muslims and Christians lived in harmony, until the Laskar Jihad began their campaign of terror by recruiting and introducing jihad bands from outside the area, mainly from the nearby Moluccas where the Jihad forces successfully uprooted nearly a half million Christians and burned down their homes and churches. It was mostly these instigators from outside the Poso region who were attacked by the Christians who were only trying to defend their homes and families. I am not going to say that the Christians are totally innocent or justified in their acts of violence in Indonesia, but the violence should be put in the proper context. The campaign of terror began and continues to be perpetrated by the Laskar Jihad and their leader Jafar Umar Thalib, who should be brought to justice. The man responsible for leading the Jihad cell in the Poso region is Ayib Safrudin. The U.S. government should demand that he too be put on trial. Jafar Umar Thalib has faced no worse than a limited period of house arrest earlier this year, while Alex Manuputty, the head of the Front for a Sovereign Maluku, is facing prosecution for no more than raising a separatist flag. It appears that no one dares to touch the Laskar Jihad, but it's OK to detain and charge Christians, like the three in jail in Poso, one who has been handed down the death sentence. Meanwhile, a lot of brutality against Christians has continued with no charges brought against the Jihad leaders responsible for initiating the attacks.

It is also important to note the connection between the Muslim terrorists in Indonesia with that of Osama bin Laden. For example, Mr. Al Chaidar, the leader of one of 14 factions of the radical Darul Islam movement, told the Sydney Morning Herald (September 28, 2001) that bin Laden's organization had sent more than 1.2 billion rupiah, the equivalent of about $243,000, to fund anti-Christian operations in Indonesia. There has been no such support from the outside to aid in any "anti-Muslim operations" by the Christians. Mr. Chaidar was cited as saying: "Yes, we've got funding and assistance from the Osama bin Laden group since we helped Afghanistan in the 1980s." Mr. Al Chaidar was quoted earlier by the Jakarta-based Rakyat Merdeka newspaper as saying that bin Laden's representatives had twice traveled to Indonesia's Maluku islands, where Muslims have been waging holy war against Christians. Mr. Al Chaidar said Darul Islam had maintained an "intensive relationship" with Afghanistan since thousands of its members had gone there to help fight the Russians in the 1980s. He added, "That's why I'm very sure that the relationship between Osama bin Laden and some factions of Darul Islam here is very special." Darul Islam, which dates back to the Dutch colonial times, as always advocated for Indonesia becoming an Islamic state.

I might also draw your attention to my report on my trip to Indonesia which points out that four Pakistani and two Afghani men were briefly detained in the Poso region after being caught helping train the recruits of the Laskar Jihad.

To give you a better understanding of what has happened in Indonesia, I would like to briefly summarize the Muslim-Christian conflict. There has been a dramatic increase in attacks against the Christian community since the downfall of the Soeharto Government. During 1998, over 500 churches were burned down in various parts of Java. Then in November 1998, 22 churches in Jakarta were burned down and 13 Christians killed. In December (Christmas) 1998, 180 homes and shops of Christians in Poso, Central Sulawesi were destroyed. On January 19, 1999, the Christians in Ambon were attacked and the fighting continues to today. In November1999, attacks against Christians began in Ternate, North Maluku and spread throughout the Province. At Easter 2000, a second wave of attacks against the Christians of Poso resulted in 800 homes and shops and churches of Christians being destroyed. On May 23, 2000, the Christians responded to threats of a third wave. This time the Christians fought to protect themselves. The battles left 700 dead and 8,000 homes and shops destroyed. In April 2001, a fourth wave of attacks against the Christians began, that now included the Laskar Jihad warriors. Then in June 2001, the Laskar Jihad officially declared a "jihad" against the Christians and began recruiting thousands of young men from Aceh, Java and Maluku to wipe out the Christians of the Poso area of Central Sulawesi. It is probably seen by more radical elements as the time to move Indonesia into becoming an Islamic State.

The threat of continued terrorism is far from over in Indonesia, just as everywhere else in the world. I received information from a respected western journalist who is assigned to Indonesia (whose name I can't disclose) who said in an e-mail, "I have underground information (impossible to verify and therefore hard for me to report) that this Christmas, the bombing campaign [of churches] will resume but with a twist. We hear that mosques may also be targeted in an attempt to pin the blame on Christians and inflame sentiment. This sounds sensational, I know, but there is no way I can verify it."

Corruption is also an important factor that has only prolonged the acts of terrorism in Indonesia. There are more than just a few who continue to profit from the conflict between the Muslims and Christians and it is to their advantage to try and have the conflict continue. A police official that I interviewed in Poso said that there are those in the military, police and government who profit from the terror campaigns. This is not a specifically remarkable phenomenon in a country where corruption is all but sanctioned. The ordinary daily corruption scandals are often made public by the local newspapers, but to no avail. Profits made by NGOs as a result of the conflict are often reported by the press. For example, the dubious financial earnings by dozens of local NGOs that have come into existence during the conflict have given reason for these NGOs to see the conflict continue...and possibly these profits even further support the efforts of the Jihad. Government officials charge illegal dues and fees, which are paid to free goods (often arms) from the Jos Sudarso harbor, or remuneration in order to obtain protection by security forces etc. To add to the already complicated issue, there are routine night-time shootings and occasional terrorist attacks (with the appearance of being carried out by Christians or Muslims) that are considered to take place in order to keep both Christians and Muslims living in fear, and thus willing to pay a fee for their "protection."

I trust that this information is helpful and that it can be presented to Colin Powell and the White House as additional supportive information in pressing Indonesia's government to help bring to an end the acts of terrorism against the Christians in Indonesia.

Yours,

Rev. Steven L. Snyder 
International Christian Concern