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A Critical Analysis of the Anti-Terrorism Policy in Indonesia: Assessment of the Concept of Jihad in Terms the Lenses of Idealism, Pragmatism and Virtue Based Ethics

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A Critical Analysis of the Anti-Terrorism Policy in Indonesia: Assessment of the Concept of Jihad in Terms the Lenses of Idealism, Pragmatism and Virtue Based Ethics Jurnal Ilmiah Niagara, Vol 2 No. 1, Januari 2011 A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ANTI-TERRORISM POLICY IN INDONESIA: ASSESSMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF JIHAD IN TERMS THE LENSES OF IDEALISM, PRAGMATISM AND VIRTUE BASED ETHICS Riswanda* *) Dosen FISIP Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa ABSTRACT Perbedaan cara pandang terhadap isu terorisme dan kebijakan anti-terrorisme mengundang perdebatan etik mengenai bagaimana seorang formulator kebijakan memandang suatu isu publik sensitive, dengan muatan permasalahan yang kompleks dan tidak terstruktur. Tulisan ini meramu perspektif idealism, pragmatism dan virtue based ethics dalam menganalisis kebijakan anti-terorisme di Indonesia. Kajian permasalahan terorisme dan kompleksitas permasalahan yang menyertainya ditelaah secara kritis-filosofis terkait konsep jihad sebagai justifikasi dari sebagian tindakan teror berbasis pemahaman agama. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mencari suatu pendekatan baru dalam mengkaji isu kebijakan publik, tanpa sama sekali bermaksud mendiskreditkan suku, agama atau ras tertentu. Memperkaya wacana analisis kebijakan publik dalam menggali akar masalah suatu isu kebijakan adalah tujuan essay ini. Kata Kunci: Anti-Terorisme, Kebijakan, Terorisme INTRODUCTION according to their understanding. Moreover, The controversy of anti-terrorism policy some of them have war experiences in Iraq in Indonesia starts after Bali bombing and Palestine. Terrorism becomes a tragedy on 12 October 2002. Following the worrying and sensitive policy issue when the terror attacks, the former president terrorists mentioned formerly videotape Megawati Soekarnoputri decrees the draft themselves, widely broadcasted by Indonesian mass media, to convince people law no. 2 / 2002 about eradicating terrorism as an applicable emergency legislation. The that their actions solely based on Islamic government then transforms the draft into thinking (Tempointeraktif 2005, p. 1). From regular statutes by declaring the law no. 15 their physical appearance, as shown by the / 2003 (Departemen Pertahanan Republik video, people can obviously see that they use Indonesia 2006). Having seen statements of Islamic attributes like traditional Muslim people committed to have done bomb terrors clothes, grow beard and even bring a black in Indonesia such as Imam Samudra, Amrozi flag with la ilaha illa Allah or there is and Sahid Firdaus, terrorism can be said as nothing to worship other than Allah written an ethical issue. They justify their actions as on it. Most of the terrorist are Islamic qital fi sabilillah which refers to armed school graduates in addition to the fact that fighting in the way of God or holy war their wives wear burqa or kind of veil 1 Jurnal Ilmiah Niagara, Vol 2 No. 1, Januari 2011 covering the entire body and most of the virtue based ethics. It is related to the face except for a hole for the eyes. question of why some particular Islamic Their appearance shapes people groups perceive terrorism as jihad, which perception of the terrorists’ image. As a calls for acts of war or acts of terror. The consequence, people see mosque groups, study will also discuss to what extent the Muslims conducting lessons on how to read ethical frameworks can be used by the the holy book of Islam and giving public government to produce appropriate policy speeches about Islam as terrorists. This alternative to cope with the issue and how. circumstance makes the government authorizes all police departments in Idealism, pragmatism and virtue based Indonesia to take finger prints of all approach students of pondok pesantren, or Muslim schools in Indonesia operated by religious There are three core frameworks in leaders, as these places often get suspected ethics that could be used to assess a policy in producing young militants skilled in jihad issue in ethical sense. Firstly, idealism, that (Warta Online Airlangga University 2006, is a ‘non consequentialist and deontological p. 1). In international level, terrorism is approach’ emphasizing moral law as a basis seen to be driven by Islamic values for some of decision making (McIntyre 2006, p. 4). instances. A study quotes the United States This deontological concept explains that president George W. Bush’s speech about meanings are not developed in context. It war against terrorism: ‘(…) we will not rest puts more weigh on moral values that can be or tire until the war on terrorists won (…) applied everywhere. Idealism is ‘a priori’ some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others concept. It begins with general propositions militant jihadism; still others islamo to particular conclusions. In idealism, facism’ (Bush, cited in Kodrat 2006, p. 1). reason is considered to be vital to justify principles that apply universally. It does not It is critical therefore to use ethic tools very much depend on observation nor to test out reasons to justify terrorism as empirical verification of facts. One of the immoral or morally acceptable acts most significant assumptions of idealism is particularly in relation to the concept of that somebody’s action can be incorrect jihad that is assumed by the government as a even if the action creates the best expected cause of terrorism. Policy makers need to be consequences. So, a decision should be able to provide policy alternatives which developed primarily by recognizing duties of can represent all stakeholders especially the decision maker and other’s people’s those that are going to be at the end effects rights. As revealed by Kant (cited in Paton of the policymaking decision. Arguably, 1976, p. 100), it is incorrect to treat people ethics is about a critical analysis of morality as instruments to actualize our ends. which is contingent on dialogue Instead, people should be regarded as ends (McCollough 1991, p. 6). This study aims to in themselves which calls for empathy critically analyze the issue of terrorism with imagining being in similar situation, so as to reference to idealism, pragmatism and 2 Jurnal Ilmiah Niagara, Vol 2 No. 1, Januari 2011 have decent insight to recognize the other claim that moral behavior comes from including the context that might form their character of an individual (Matheson 2006, thinking. However, it is hard to imagine the pp. 5-6). It pays attention to find out aspects goodness that can be applied universally giving moral actions worthwhile. In other since a good thing for some people does not words, it puts more weight on the moral necessarily good for other people depending agent character rather than the nature of the on, for example, times, cultures and the way actions. For example, there is a person who people think. A critique of deontological is a religious fanatic and kindhearted. If the approach is about its failure to show clearly person must choose between doing jihad, which one should be taken on priority by the which may lead to act of terrors, and time a conflict is raised between rights and undoing jihad for the reason that the action duties (Mill, cited in Wikipedia 2006, p. 3). might cause innocent people get killed, what The second framework is Pragmatism would the person do? This question depends that can be said as a consequentialist on how the person perceives him or herself. approach looking at the meanings of the In this example, moral commitment can turn concepts and practical aspects in favor of into fanaticism if taken to extreme. So, the majority of stakeholders (McIntyre 2006, moral actions, in essence, are based on p. 4). It is subjected to considerations of the moral character according to virtue ethics. effects on thinking and manners. For Therefore, it can be synthesized that pragmatists, reasoning should come from moral is a commonly accepted behavior observed facts taking full consideration of while ethics is a dialogical thinking that has the effects on all life stages. Pragmatism implication for policymaking process. It sees the viewpoints of the stakeholders in takes the framework of idealism when it is different contexts. Nonetheless, there are used as a benchmark ensuring people not to two forms of pragmatism. The first form is be treated as an object whilst efforts to take narrow pragmatism that concerns a decision should be based on a universal particularly the majority of people but not moral law. For idealists, how people carry all stakeholders. Expanded pragmatism is out their goals is considered to be more the other one, aiming at supporting social important than what people carry out. and environmental justice not only for the Pragmatism highlights the usage of common present generation but also the future sense to think about consequences following generation. This second form of pragmatism any action. That is why future generation promotes and carries out the process of that might receive effects of the decision is making sure that a policymaking decision taken into account. It is called expanded involves and suitably represents people who pragmatism when it develops a dialogue- will get influenced by the decision. based decision by looking into the ideas of Lastly, virtue-based approach, that is based those who will be at the receiving end of the on thinking quality in addition to practice decision as critical point. A decision maker that constructs ethical conducts (McIntyre thus should be able to recognize 2006, p. 4). Virtue ethics puts forward a consequences of a decision for all life, not 3 Jurnal Ilmiah Niagara, Vol 2 No. 1, Januari 2011 only for some stakeholders. That is why society’. This second point is to do all the future generation that might receive effects believer can to lend a hand to other people. of the decision is taken into account. For instance, as a Muslim, people have to Developing dialectical process to get forgive somebody hurting us graciously and sense of careful thinking as regard to to participate in creating social justice. For decision making about an issue is a Muslim’s community, in particular, the necessity in virtue-based ethics. The great effort to live as instructed by Allah can dialectical process is then expected to bring be accomplished by getting involved in inner virtue that would generate happiness Muslim community activities.
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