Indonesia: Blog Reactions to Bin Laden's Death

Indonesia: Blog Reactions to Bin Laden's Death

Posted By Carolina Rumuat On 14 May

The news about the death of the “king of terror” Osama Bin Laden traveled fast around the globe like wild fire. But Bin Laden's death wasn't received with much fanfare in Indonesia, a Muslim majority country. Government officials reminded the public that his death was a victory for the United States (US), not Indonesia.

Indonesia's hardline Muslims are considerably small in numbers but very vocal, and they're not afraid to show respect to their fallen hero.

However, the responses from the Indonesian public differ. Jenny S. Bev, an Indonesia-born, California based columnist, wrote this on her blog:

Barack Obama believed that justice has been served. It may be so to a certain level. At least now we have a closure for all 9/11 victims as the person responsible for their deaths had been forced to taste his own medicine. This moment, however, is the beginning of a new chapter: the new normalcy in a world without Osama bin Laden.

Ms. Bev expects terror splinter groups to strike back so it's highly important for the US to renew its foreign policy. She further said:

[…] it is good timing for the United States to make adjustments in their foreign policies that would reduce feelings of insecurity and helplessness in other countries, while at the same time increasing alertness for any possible friction.

The temporary euphoria of Osama’s death should be taken as a somber reminder that there are alternatives to going into war with other countries. A strong intelligent team can be more efficient and effective than spending trillions of dollars and ten years of hunting down one person for the price of thousands of civilians’ deaths.

Blogger Isro Machfudin posted a poem which he found profoundly moving, written ten years ago at the wake of 9/11, by Anis Matta, the current chairman of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) [5], an Islamist political party. Here are parts of the poem:

Osama…
Kamulah yang mengunci mulut bangsa-bangsa adidaya,
Supaya mereka terdiam
Maka mereka hanya bisa mengamuk.
Kamulah yang merampas rasa aman
Dari jiwa bangsa-bangsa tirani
Maka mereka tak pernah bisa tidur nyenyak.
Osama oh Osama… Osama oh Osama…
Mari kita senandungkan lagu keabadian
Bersama nurani anak-anak manusia
Yang merindukan taman surga.

Osama, you're the one who sealed the mouths of the superpower nations,
so they were silenced.
That's why they went beserk
You're the one who seized the security from the tyrant nations, so they couldn't fast asleep.
Osama, oh, Osama, let's sing the eternal song with the conscience of the human children who are missing the garden of heaven.

Many Indonesians were relieved to learn the death of the modern jihad icon. Blogger Katedra Rajawen, said:

Terlepas Osama dianggap sebagai penjahat atau pahlawan, saya hanya ingin mengatakan, bahwa sesungguhnya tindakan membunuh adalah sebuah perbuatan frustrasi
karena ketidakmampuan untuk mengasihi orang lain.

Whether Osama is a criminal or a hero, I just want to say that killing is an act of frustration of personal inability to love others.

Blogger NRG07 said:

I have never understood the minds of people who kill by the name of religion, and Osama bin Laden certainly was a poster boy for this ideology. If his death would mean anything to Indonesia, first of all, it would be a signal that as long as anyone is there spreading terror, there would also be people against it.

He believes that despite Bin Laden's death, the world shouldn't put its guard down yet, since the ‘war on terror' is far from over.

I wouldn’t be relieved that Osama bin Laden has died, if the spread of radicalism, hatred and intolerance is still there.

The blogger was referring to the government's inability to prevent religion-related violence in the country.

Article printed from Global Voices: http://globalvoicesonline.org
URL to article: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/05/14/indonesia-blog-reactions-to-bin-ladens-death/

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