UNS — An observer for the Islamic and Southeast Asian Studies, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Dr. Leni Winarni, delivers their analysis on the suicide bombing at Makassar Cathedral, Sunday (28/3/2021). Dr. Leni states that this action is done by two suspected members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) to show their existence and proving that JAD is still active in Jihad.
“The current motivation is more toward existence. This type of organization still exists and actively spreading fright to other groups whom they consider to be enemies. Whether this action is done by JAD or not, we are still waiting for the official release from the police because this case is still under investigation,” she explains on Monday (29/3/2021).
Compared to the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) group, which was established earlier, she explains that the JI’s attack aims to address the religious conflict, defending the Muslims for the conflicts that occurred in Ambon and Poso. “Since the reformation in Indonesia, followed by Ambon and Poso conflict, the JI group has started the actions. But their motivation is closely related to the conflict in Ambon and Poso,” she explained by quoting the statement of a former convict in the Bali Bombing Case 2002, Ali Imron.
For the last few years, the extremist group’s attacks had targetted the state apparatus such as the police and church. When asked regarding the correlation between the suicide bombing actors and the Catholic Church, she states that such cases cannot justify the catholic church as the main target because of the sporadic attacks and individual. Thus it does not target a specific type of church.
Further, she explains that aside from whether JAD made the attack or not, the current extremist organization started to establish a network in various regions to communicate the radical actions and extremism. However, this organization is far from being organized. However, she reminds that such disorganized become the power of their network, which requires further caution.
“There is no accurate prediction where the action will take place, at what time, and using what method. The most important matter is, the members will only support the action based on their expertise. If they can make a bomb, then they will do a suicide bombing,” she added.
To prevent similar actions from happening again, Dr. Leni gives several recommendations for the community to prevent terrorism and fighting radical views. According to her, this effort does not fall solely as the Police and BNPT’s responsibility. Because the community must not be ignorant and must work together to limit such organizations’ movements that spread terror on behalf of certain religions or groups, this effort can be made through socialization carried out by community organizations, religious leaders, and community leaders. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti