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Werijon, & Setiawan, D. (2021). Examining the Capacity of Indonesia’s Defense Entities on Countering Radicalism. Advances in Social Sciences

Research Journal, 8(5). 282-292.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.85.10230

Strategies and approaches in dealing with radicalism in several countries have also been unable

to reduce the activities of these radical groups, and have even targeted the younger generation

to become followers and at the same time activists of this radicalism from various backgrounds

(3). Some of these groups and organizations are associated with political organizations and

Islamic mass organizations in various parts of the world, such as Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State in

Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Hamas, and Hezbollah (4). However, if you look historical, these

movements are very dynamic which have increased significantly as a form of resistance to the

West, anti-Islam and as a result of the marginalization of political rights, a sense of justice so

that radicalism has never been resolved with an appropriate strategy.

In the Asian region and especially in Southeast Asia, the influence of radicalism is clear, a

considerable Muslim population is both the subject and object of radicalism. The stigmatization

of Islamic radicalism has received wide attention from the media (5). Islamic radicalism

represent a phenomenon that has developed in this region, one cause is the influence of groups

such as Jemaah Islamiah, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS which are considered the number one Islamic

terrorist group in the world. These Salafi-affiliated entities conduct the mission of emphasizing

monotheistic absolutism and fighting the fertile practice of Sufism in Africa to Southeast Asia.

(6). Expressions of radicalism can be in the form of a belief in rejecting pluralism, criticism of

religious practices that accommodate local culture and strong Sufi mysticism, destruction of

private and public property, to the extreme level of bombings like what happened in Indonesia,

Malaysia, and the Philippines (7). Therefore, it can be remarked that Islamic radicalism has

disturbed the stability of national security in the region.

Findings from several countries with significant Muslim populations indicate there is a

tendency for violence and terrorism to be increasingly associated with Salafi-Wahabi affiliated

radicalism (6). In Indonesia, radicalism colors the image of Muslims, the face of Indonesian

Islam is identified with several radical Muslim-based groups, such as the Islamic Defenders

Front, the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI), Laskar Jihad (LJ), and the Indonesian Muslim

Brotherhood Jama'ah Ikhwan (JAMI/Indonesian Muslim Brotherhood Community) (8).

Although radical Islamic groups do not obtain a significant number compared to moderate

groups, like Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, they can receive people's attention.

These groups stand out in the face of Islam in the country for their religious understanding and

radical actions. In Indonesia, radicalism develops in three forms: belief radicalism, action

radicalism, and political radicalism following the facts and developments of the Muslim

community in Indonesia, although the definition and terminology of radicalism are very multi- interpretative (9).

Some examples of the radical actions of these groups include: FPI has been involved in a number

of raids and demolitions of several cafes, discos, nightclubs, gambling places and places of

prostitution. (10). The LJ group is closely related to the historical struggle for jihadist action in

Maluku, Ambon and Poso in Central Sulawesi. In these conflicting areas, LJ has sent its militia

to fight the Christians. Meanwhile, Amir Majlis (leader of the advisory board) of MMI, Abu Bakar

Ba'asyir, is believed to be the leader of JL Southeast Asia and has networks throughout

Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, also has Al-Qaeda connections (11).

Another unsettling developments of radicalism in Indonesia within the last ten years, despite

lack of credible preliminary research, as follows: claims that 3% of Indonesia soldiers has

exposed to radical thought (12), temporary closing of the admission of STAN (State College of

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 5, May-2021

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Accountancy) prospective students for the 2020 academic year due to the issue of radicalism

(13), statement of Deputy V of the President's Chief of Staff (KSP) explained that radicalism has

plagued Indonesia for the last 10 years (14), statement of the Minister of Research and

Technology about ten universities that have been exposed to radicalism and a research study

by the State Intelligence Agency said that there are 41 mosques in government office area

exposed to radicalism (15).

A radical mindset that ends with the choice of using violence to combat certain social practices

possesses the potential to cause resistance from local communities. This situation will

exacerbate instability that has been triggered previously by radicalism itself. In this context,

there is an urgency to optimize unused military capacity during the peace period to support

efforts to tackle radicalism in Indonesia.

What is important is the influence and development of radicalism in Indonesia do not run

parallel with the government's strategy, especially from the perspective of national defense.

Researchers are challenged with the presentation of data and facts and findings in the field with

parameters in three levels of radicalism, namely: radicalism at the micro, meso, and macro

levels (16). Furthermore, the findings associated with the three categorizations of radicalism

will be analyzed and framed in a more comprehensive map of radical movements and

radicalism to get a conclusion and the relevant government strategy. The review of the results

of this research will be poured into two topics: describing the government's perceptions of

radicalism and its development in Indonesia and examining the efforts to deal with it from the

perspective of national defense.

METHODOLOGY

The method of investigating the data and information in this study is qualitative. Researchers

look at the reality that has been obtained in the preliminary study that the research problems

have not been visible and are currently unclear. With a descriptive approach, we explore and

understand the perceptions and behavior of organizations — in this context, government

agencies — on the issues raised. The data and information in this study were complemented by

interviewing the competent authorities practising a semi-structured method. The objects of this

research interview consisted of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security

Affairs (Kemenkopolhukam), the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemhan),

the Indonesian National Army (TNI), the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), and a

prominent expert in the field of radicalism.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

National Defense

Georg Sørensen on national defense explained “the state must be able to provide an adequate

level of protection to the population from external and internal threats...under the protection of

the state, people can enjoy relative security and thus pursue happiness and prosperity, happiness

(17). The meaning of conventional defense is concentrated on efforts to ward off militaristic

threats that come from outside the jurisdiction of a political entity. However, as national

boundaries increasingly blur as globalization and the nature of the threat grows, defense is

currently talking about a broader subject than just maneuvering the armed forces against other

armed forces.