How has the rise of "militant Islam" affected politics in Indonesia?

Résumé du document

Although nearly 90% of Indonesian population is Muslim, Islam and Islamic issues have not become central subjects of interest permeating Indonesian politics. In the past, Islam in Indonesia has usually been portrayed as moderate, pluralist and tolerant in contrasts to parts of the Middle East . Indonesia has never adopted Islam as its official ideology and significant minorities of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists have freely practiced their religion, sheltered under the national ideology of "Panca Sila". Since President Suharto's rule, this nationalist vision of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society bound together by citizenship has remained at the core of national ideology . Yet, in the wake of Al Qaeda attacks on New York in 2001, and following the Bali Bombing attacks in 2002, foreign observers quickly focused on the rise of "radical Islam" or "fundamentalism" and started describing Indonesian Muslims as being increasingly pious and violent . Islam amongst political parties in Indonesia, though, seems to remain more characterized by its diversity and pragmatism than it used to be over the past decades.

Extraits

[...] 32-52. Terror Groups in Indonesia: Rudd”. ABC News Online August 2003. Cited at www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s935682.htm “Indonesia's Muslim Militants”. BBC News Online August 2003. [...]

[...] [xviii] Azra Azyumardi, “Indonesian Islam, Election Politics And Beyond”, Asian Studies, no (2004), pp. 12-14. [xix] Irman Lanti, Islamic extremism on the Rise in Indonesia”, Perspective, (Singapore: Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies). Cited at www.ntu.edu.sg.idss Harold Crouch, “Radical Islam in Indonesia: Some Misperceptions”. [xxi] Bilveer Singh, Challenge of Militant Islam and Terrorism in Indonesia”, Australian Journal of Foreign Affairs, vol.58, no pp. 47-68 (March 2004). [xxii] Irman Lanti, Islamic extremism on the Rise in Indonesia”. [xxiii] Bilveer Singh, Challenge of Militant Islam and Terrorism in Indonesia”. [...]

[...] Indeed, as the JI is a regional terrorist organisation, Indonesia's strategy had to focus on a broader regional framework. On October 2001, Indonesia approved the initiatives to focus on terrorism, to deal effectively with the issue at all levels and to convene an expert meeting that will focus on this challenge[xxxv]. On 5 November 2001, it also adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter-Terrorism (ADJACT) and approved different other Joint Declaration of Cooperation to Combat International terrorism with the United States and the UE[xxxvi]. [...]

[...] Hefner, “Civil Islam: Muslims And Democratization In Indonesia”, (Princeton: Princeton University Press 2000). Harold Crouch, “Radical Islam in Indonesia: Some Misperceptions”, in M Vicziany and D. Wright-Neville Islamic Terrorism in Indonesia: Myths and Realities, (Annual Indonesia Lecture Series pp. 32-52. [iii] Ibid. Ibid. Centre for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM), quoted in Harold Crouch, “Radical Islam in Indonesia: Some Misperceptions”, in M Vicziany and D. Wright-Neville Islamic Terrorism in Indonesia: Myths and Realities, (Annual Indonesia Lecture Series pp. [...]

[...] Thanks to its relations established with the head of the Moro Islamic Front (MILF), JI was offered the use of land and facilities. In 1996, its administrative structure was laid down in a handbook entitled the General Guidelines for a Struggle of Jema'ah Islamiyah[xxviii]. And after 1997, JI was divided in a four main region- based organization: Mantiqi covering Malaysia and Singapore, since then focuses on fund-raising ; Mantiqi II covering Indonesia, has become the target of Jihad along with Mantiqi III, covering the Philippines, Sabah and Sulawesi ; while Mantiqi IV, covering Australia, is becoming an important fund-raising offshoot of the organization. [...]