BALI (14 Oct 2002) -- The bombings that apparently claimed more than 180 lives in a resort on Bali were a sign that even the most idyllic settings are vulnerable to the most brutal acts of terrorism. Bali has long been a haven for young tourists from around the world and an island generally free from the sectarian conflict that has convulsed much of the Indonesian archipelago. That reputation was destroyed by extremists, whatever their creed or cause, who have no regard for the sanctity of human life and are determined to create a clash of Eastern and Western civilisations. These motives must be comprehended when fashioning a response to a terrorist act whose victims were innocent tourists and hard-working Indonesians. The Indonesian Government's response to the terrorist threat has been utterly inadequate. Warnings from Washington and, significantly, from the Singaporean and Malaysian Governments, have been ignored. The country is now counting the cost of that laxity. Tourism revenue will be undermined, regional airlines will be pushed to the brink of bankruptcy and foreign investment will surely look for safer ports. The Government has not only let down the tourists slaughtered on Saturday night, but it has failed the Indonesians toiling to rebuild an already shattered economy. The bloodshed highlights Western fears that Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has become a safe haven for terrorists. Those fears took shape over the summer, after a Kuwaiti national, Omar al-Faruq, was arrested in Indonesia in June and deported to a US airbase in Afghanistan. Al-Faruq admitted to US officials that he was al-Qaeda's senior representative in the region. Al-Faruq's confession also linked a controversial Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, to a South-East Asian extremist network called Jemaah Islamiyah and to al-Qaeda. Indonesia's Asian neighbours have been quick to crack down on Jemaah Islamiyah. Singapore has detained dozens of suspected operatives. US forces have been helping to train Filipino soldiers to fight Muslim Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, also linked to al-Qaeda by the US Administration. But Indonesia has held back, in part, because Jemaah Islamiyah is more than tolerated by some senior members of the Government and because of the fear of alienating moderates in a country with a large Muslim majority. Indonesia is still wary of Washington, although both Governments have made efforts in recent years to rebuild the bridges that were burnt during the 1960s. | | Death toll could reach 210 Only in the past few weeks — once news of al-Faruq's revelations became public — have Indonesian and American officials inched towards common ground on counter-terrorism. After months of official denials, the Indonesian Government said al-Qaeda might have a limited network in the country. It set up a national security council with powers to evaluate intelligence data and order arrests. Tragically, those necessary measures came too late to halt Saturday's attack, although only a few days ago, the US Ambassador in Jakarta, Ralph Boyce, warned Indonesia that he was pulling out non-essential staff unless his concerns about security were taken more seriously. In September Mr Boyce had closed the embassy for six days owing to a "credible and specific" threat linked to al-Qaeda. The identity of the extremist group responsible for the Bali blasts is less important than the need for increased vigilance against random and heartless acts of terror, both in Asia and around the rest of the world. That the young were targeted and that a large number of innocent Indonesians were killed are stark reminders that the perpetrators are both callous and borderless in their brutality. SCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
