CROSS-SECTORAL SYNERGY CRUCIAL FOR UNDERTAKING COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug 25, 2016 (Antara) - There is no room for terrorism in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo had remarked in his State of the Nation Address on the 71st anniversary of Indonesian Independence at the Parliament Building on Aug. 16.

          The government will not compromise with parties orchestrating acts of terror and violence across the country, the president noted.

          Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto recently held a coordination meeting to discuss counterterrorism efforts.

          The meeting was attended by the representatives of 17 ministries and state institutions, including Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara and National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Chief Commissioner General Suhardi Alius.

         As the problem of terrorism is very complex, the meeting agreed that relevant ministries and state institutions should establish synergy to conduct counterterrorism efforts.      
     The meeting also reached a consensus to make BNPT the leading body to coordinate the activities of a counterterrorism task force comprising representatives of relevant ministries and state institutions.

          "We will form a task force involving definitive officials having access to ministers or institution chiefs to enable them to formulate strategies to ensure effectiveness of de-radicalization and counter-radicalization programs and at the same time act as a bridge among ministries," Alius remarked following the meeting.

          Terrorism could no longer be dealt through partial-sectoral efforts, as the potential of the threat is high, he noted.

          The Communication and Informatics Ministry is considered to play a crucial role in building synergy against terrorism as radicalism has swiftly made inroads though the social media, including the Internet.  
     "One of the most serious threats is cyber terrorism. This could not be handled by the BNPT alone, as it needs the support of other ministries, particularly the Communication and Informatics Ministry," he stated.   
    Alius emphasized that information technology is a powerful medium that is unstoppable. The terrorists arrested in Batam had recently given instructions through the social media, and they are using various other modes, such as Facebook, YouTube, Blackberry Messenger, and Twitter, Alius added.

          New technologies have made it easy to spread terrorism and radicalist propaganda.

          Several terrorist and extremist organizations have been using social media to recruit, radicalize, and raise funds. The terrorist group ISIS, for instance, has actively disseminated violent propaganda on the Internet.

         Minister Rudiantara confirmed that the government had planned to establish a counterterrorism task force to simplify normative procedures among ministries and state institutions, including the National Police, State Intelligence Agency, the Communication and Informatics Ministry, and BNPT.

          "Terrorism and radicalism do not follow a certain pattern, so our work does not use normative procedures. Hence, the Communication and Informatics Ministry will adopt a 'red carpet' approach for ensuring coordination among the three institutions. Hence, there will be direct (coordination), and there will be no need to follow set procedures," the minister explained.

         The new pattern of communication is expected to curb the spread of terrorism and radical ideologies that have gone viral on social media and the Internet.

          Officials to be grouped in the task force are expected to make direct coordination with each other without having to go through relevant ministers or director generals, he remarked.

          For instance, they could block certain Internet websites without having to wait for approval from ministries.

          Last year, at the request of the BNPT, the ministry had blocked several websites and videos for spreading radicalism or propaganda related to ISIS.     
     In addition to adopting hard approaches, the government is intensifying de-radicalization programs to curb terrorism by using soft and tolerant religious narratives and involving various relevant stakeholders, among other things.   
     The de-radicalization program will target those familiar with or following the ideology, while the counter-radicalization program is meant for those who have not been influenced by radicalism.

          "We will optimize (the programs). We will embrace all, including NGOs, mass organizations, and prominent religious figures. The religious community will also be involved," Alius emphasized.

          De-radicalization efforts will be carried out in regions considered prone to extremist ideology, such as Java Island and West Nusa Tenggara.

          The BNPT has a set up a Terrorism Prevention Coordinating Forum in 32 provinces to map out places where radical groups are rampant.

         Besides this, the agency has also been mapping various quarters of radicalism involving inmates or former inmates that have returned to the community.

          In cooperation with relevant ministries, particularly the education and culture ministry and social affairs ministry, the agency has been making efforts to educate the public, especially the relatives of inmates involved in terrorism on the dangers of radicalism, according to Alius, former chief of the Police's Criminal Investigation Department.

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(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 25-08-2016 13:01:26