INDEPENDENT NEWS

Move to outlaw Jemaah Islamiyah is deplored

Published: Mon 4 Nov 2002 08:23 AM
Move to outlaw Jemaah Islamiyah is deplored.
The Indonesia Human Rights Committee believes that the designation of Jemaah Islamiyah as a terrorist entity is premature. The evidence produced thus far makes an unconvincing case. . The move is widely being interpreted as anti-Muslim and is likely to be counterproductive - indirectly strengthening the grassroots support for extremist or militant groups. In Indonesia notching up the war on terror also means strengthening the power of the ruthless unaccountable Indonesian military.
" New Zealand appears to have taken a 'me too' position and to have accepted without question a bunch of unproven allegations and video footage of uncertain origin. The confessions of CIA informant Al - Farouq should not simply be taken as gospel without independent verification. Independent researchers such as Harold Crouch, former director of the International Crisis Group are scathing about the resources and the strength of Jemaah Islamiyah - Crouch says it is 'light years' away from establishing a South East Asian Islamic state."
"Australia and the US are using the 'war on terror' and the designation of terrorist groups as a justification to move back into full military engagement with the Indonesian military. Yet, the Indonesian military is responsible for decades of terror against the innocent civilians that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. The Kopassus special forces are almost universally believed to have been involved in the murder of foreign teachers ( 2 of them American) near the Freeport mine in West Papua last August. Doesn't this count as 'terrorism?' "
"The military has exploited and fanned the flames of ethnic and religious conflict over and over again - West Papua, Maluku and Poso are current examples. Given an even freer hand, and boosted by outside backing the military will crackdown relentlessly on all who challenge its power - be they pro-democracy activists, or supporters of self-determination."
"New Zealand should have no part of this dangerous military revival. "

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