Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Padang (Fides Service) – “This is a September 11 without tension although fear of terrorism remains after the recent attack, but what peopel are mostly concerned with is work and feeding the family” says Bishop Martinius Situmorang of Padang, who is also Secretary of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference.
“In fact for the people of Indonesia today, the priority is the economy: growing unemployment, rising inflation, wages worth less and less and an increasing number of families find themselves below the poverty line. So the anniversary of 11 September does not generate fear. Certain politicians and media speak of alarm but the ordinary people appear to show little concern, too preoccupied as they are with daily difficulties.”
However the Bishop stresses terrorism is a reality not to be undervalued. “It is a real threat: as we see by the bomb blasts which disrupted the life of so many people in the past year. Organised terrorist groups do exist and concern is certainly justified However our government, with recent trial and sentencing of the perpetrators of these attacks, demonstrated that is has the courage and will to fight terrorism which damages the country at home and disfigures its image abroad.”
At this stage the contribution of religious leaders is fundamental, says Bishop Situmorang: “The religious leaders belonging to the National Moral Movement, which comprises representatives of all the main religions in Indonesia, continue their activity. Our task is to call on believers, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus, not to respond to provocation and not to let the question be reduced to conflict of religions, either at the local or international level. The challenge is complex and in no way can it be passed off as a clash between Islam and Christianity. However terrorism finds fertile soil in ignorance. The challenge is to build a world of respect for human dignity, social justice, solidarity and equal cultural opportunities”.
Indonesian secret services, mobilised since the 5 August bombing 2003 at Marriott Hotel in Jakarta and the October 2002 bomb explosion in Bali, warn of possible terrorism attacks.
In the meantime Muslim leader Abu Bakar Bashir, head of Jemaah Islamiah terrorist organisation – through to be responsible for the recent attacks – was sentenced to years four in prison on charges of complicity in high treason. The Jakarta court said there was no evidence that Bashir was the head of Jemaah Islamiah group, suspected of being connected with Al Quaeda, or that he was behind the attacks. But the court was certain that he was an accomplice of the extremists. The courts showed clemency with a short sentence (public opinion gave him 15 years). Bashir has said he intends to appeal. It is feared that the sentence may trigger anger and retaliation from Bashir’s followers. PA (Fides Service 11/9/2003 EM lines 38 Words: 478)
