Maturity of the Terror Ecosystem

Ideological maturity can occur when its ecosystem matures or become conducive, and a conducive ecosystem reflects its growing legitimacy among the public, or at least moral support.

KOMPAS/IQBAL BASYARI

A security personnel stands guard on Sunday (13/5/2018) near Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church on Jl. Diponegoro in Surabaya.

In the 20 years since the reform movement triggered a struggle for democracy in 1998, the country has been hit by various terror attacks. The perpetrators, who have deceitfully claimed religiosity, are riding on the wave of democracy – which they consider thagut (infidel) – to disseminate their ideology. This ideological marketing also aims for public legitimacy, and this could happen when the societal ecosystem is left to mature.

The suicide bombings on Sunday (13/05/2018) morning of three churches in Surabaya, East Java, call to mind three similar incidents that occurred early in the Reform Era: In Padangbulan, Medan, North Sumatra, on Sunday, May 28, 2000; the Christmas Eve bombings on Dec. 24, 2000 in 11 cities, and the bombing of two Jakarta churches on July 22, 2001. The Padangbulan church bombing was the first terror act of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) organization in Indonesia.