Terror in the Southeast

Indonesia: the fourth most populous nation in the world; the most populous Islamic country; home to rich resources like petroleum, natural gas, oil, coffee, copper and gold; and now, a hub for terrorism.

The October 12 attack in the nightclub district of Bali—a hotspot for Western tourists—brought to light the fact that Indonesia is a vital al-Qaeda stronghold.

This country is no stranger to conflict. Separatist violence has raged there, especially since President Kemusu Suharto left office in May 1998. But, despite its enormous Muslim population, militant Islam has not been a major threat to Indonesia’s stability.

The Bali attack, which killed nearly 200 people, changed all that.

It is true that Muslims in Southeast Asia are more tolerant and pluralistic than those in any other Muslim nation. When Arab traders came to the area in the 13th century, they converted many of the natives to Islam. Though these Muslims resided in an area with Buddhists, Hindus and Christians, they learned to live in relative harmony and tolerance with them.

However, there exist four vocal, extremist minority groups that believe one or more of the following: that liberal Indonesian Muslims have erred from strict Islamic law; that they must wage a spiritual jihad throughout the archipelago either through peaceful or non-peaceful means; and that an Islamic state must be set up in southern Asia incorporating Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern part of the Philippines and Thailand, and even the northern part of Australia.

When Suharto took over the country in the mid-1960s, he was befriended by the West for helping them stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. He even backed Muslim groups to achieve that end—but always remained able to repress Islamic extremism.

When economic troubles and internal rioting forced Suharto to step down four years ago, numerous conflicts erupted—and it was only a short time before radical Islam took hold of the nation.

A Prediction Fulfilled

Despite the fact that the majority Muslim faction is moderate, nearly all Muslims in Indonesia are angry about the United States’ policy in Israel. This—combined with poor living conditions affected by a high birthrate, illiteracy, economic turmoil and low productivity—factors into the formula for the rise of radical Islam.

That is exactly what this magazine predicted would happen. In an article titled “Why Indonesia Matters,” written just after Suharto relinquished power to B.J. Habibie, the Trumpet drew attention to the importance of this archipelago nation and the significance of these events: “In Suharto’s absence and newly appointed President B.J. Habibie’s perceived weakness, power-grabbing in Indonesia is the name of the game, and radical Islam may be closing in …. Even after Suharto’s resignation, enormous forces of anarchy, especially radical Islam, remain active in the streets of Indonesia, only awaiting a spark to re-ignite them” (Trumpet, July 1998).

Suharto, through his dominant military, violently quelled any social or political protests. But now, violence reigns across the island bridge—inter-ethnic violence, violence from autonomy-seeking regions, anti-Chinese, anti-Communist, anti-Christian and anti-Islamic violence.

Another development since the close of the Suharto era has been increased piracy in Indonesian waters. This too was predicted in the Trumpet: “Indonesian society is in danger of completely unraveling, and that could potentially mean heavily armed ‘rogue elements’ breaking off from the Indonesian military to threaten international shipping in the world’s busiest waterway …. In that event, a large portion of world trade is at risk. In fact, over half of all international shipping travels through Indonesian waters” (ibid.).

These waterways are some of the most important in the world, especially the Strait of Malacca. But they have also become the most dangerous. Increased piracy has been the major impetus behind the rapid expansion of several major navies in the region, including those of_Indonesia, Japan and India.

“Time will tell if, in the absence of Suharto, a close relationship forms between Indonesian leaders and Islamic militants. If it does, the world could be in for real trouble!” (ibid.). This “close relationship” has been evident in Megawati Sukarnoputri’s current government, which came to power in July 2001. Her vice president is sympathetic to the more radical views of Islam, and she has felt unable to crack down on militant sentiments while still keeping herself alive politically (though she did enact some tough anti-terrorism legislation immediately after the Bali attacks).

“Indonesia is like a ripe plum, just waiting to be picked and added to the radical Islamic camp. … Watch Indonesia and the world of radical Islam! Great change is on the horizon!”_(ibid.). Today we have evidence of a strong connection between the minds behind the September 11 attacks and those behind the attacks in Indonesia. The main culprit in the Bali attacks is Jemaah Islamiah, recently identified by the U.S. State Department as an official terrorist organization with links to al-Qaeda.

Though the Bali bombing was clearly aimed at Western interests, the target being a prime destination for Australian tourists, Indonesia itself felt some serious consequences.

The tourism industry in Indonesia has significantly waned following the terror attack, with the Australian government now telling tourists to stay out of the country. As tourism had been Bali’s major source of income, the absence of tourists is further damaging an already weak economy, which never regained strength after the economic fallout of 1997’s Asian economic meltdown. And, in a vicious cycle, the deteriorating economy tends to encourage more militant Islamic sentiment. Sadly, Indonesia has become a breeding ground for disgruntled terrorists.

Why Indonesia Matters

But why does all this matter?

Certainly this unrest and increased militancy among Islamic extremists barely measures a blip on America’s nightly-news radar screens. Even when four Americans were killed in the Bali blast (along with nearly 90 Australians as well as other tourists), U.S. news broadcasts gave the attack maybe a minute for two or three evenings before going back to the story about which planes and intelligence devices the Pentagon would use to catch the Washington sniper.

But this is still big news outside the tunnel-visioned U.S. media. The truth is, Indonesia matters. Asia has always known that. The Bali blast confirmed it.

Instability in Indonesia can mean instability for Asia—economically and strategically. The main reason has to do with Indonesia hosting so much of the world’s trade traffic in its waters. For instance, oil shipped from the Middle East to nations like Japan (which obtains 75 to 80 percent of its oil from the Middle East) travels through Southeast Asia. Nearly 27 percent of China’s foreign trade passes through these waters as well. Both Japan and China also receive many natural resources from Indonesia, as well as Australia.

Both have offered to help Indonesia in a limited manner since the attacks. Japan reacted immediately to the bombing, sending its Terrorist Response Team to help in the investigation. China offered to help arm the Indonesian military.

Other Asian nations are also very cognizant of the threat posed by Indonesian instability. In 1999, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (asean) plus South Korea, China and Japan agreed that they would commit more firmly to protecting Indonesia’s stability. This year, their two-day summit in November began with the release of a joint declaration on terrorism: “We resolve to intensify our efforts, collectively and individually, to prevent, counter and suppress the activities of terrorist groups in the region.” In addition to their own countries being free from terror, they need Indonesia—the guardian of these priceless sea lanes—to be stable as well.

In the same month as the Bali attack, a series of bombings throughout the Philippines killed more than 20 people. During the past decade, Islamic extremists, especially al-Qaeda, have formed a second front for terrorism within Southeast Asia. The radicalization of Islamic cells within the region was triggered by the Afghan-Soviet war, where many hundreds of Muslims from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines joined the fight alongside the mujahideen (Islamic guerrilla fighters).

As Zachary Abuza of Simmons College observed (as quoted in The Age, Nov. 12), “The fact is, since the early 1990s, al-Qaeda has found Malaysia to be a convenient base for operations.” (Malaysia is currently trying to disassociate itself from Islamic militancy, even to the point of possibly hosting a U.S.-planned counterterrorism center.) Indonesia, with its political and economic instability, was ripe for this too, as we suggested might happen in the Trumpet of July 1998. Abuza continued, “Al-Qaeda has taken advantage of the political instability, and has looked upon Indonesia as a new frontier.”

What Lies Ahead for Indonesia?

Because of its separatist violence, its growing rise in militant Islam, and its strong link with al-Qaeda, Indonesia has the eyes of the entire world. Be assured that the U.S., as it continues its war on terror, will keep a more watchful eye on Islam on its “second front” as well. It well knows that the attack in Bali was intended for Americans as well as Australians.

Yes, Indonesia’s future is critical to the rest of Asia, Australia and even the U.S. Its future, however, is as uncertain as it is critical.

When examining Bible prophecy, we know that the entire Anglo-American world (Australia included) is headed for serious trouble—an economic and internal downfall that will lead to its collapse in a coming nuclear world war (see story, p. 21). Indonesia certainly will have some influence in what is prophesied to happen to these English-speaking nations—as the West continues what will be an exhausting war against militant Islam.

With Indonesia now providing fertile ground for extremist operations within the global network of Islamic terror, it is possible that this country will become a factor in the rise of the prophesied “king of the south” (Dan. 11:40). As we have written in numerous articles, radical Islam, led primarily by Iran, is that “king of the south” which figures prominently in end-time prophecy.

According to Bible prophecy, the king of the south—though on the rise now—will have its heyday for only a short span, after which it will be conquered by a “king of the north”—a united, Catholic-dominated Europe which will overrun the Middle East and northern Africa (vv. 40-43).

The degree to which Indonesia will be affected by this European victory is unknown. What is sure, however, is that the peoples of Indonesia are mentioned as being part of another giant alliance—known as the “kings of the east” (see Revelation 16:12 and Ezekiel 38)—to come against the king of the north.

Many of those who inhabit Indonesia today are descendants of biblical Gomer and Phut (both identified in Ezekiel 38:5-6 as key players in this coming Asian alliance). And even if this Islamic country does initially align with the king of the south, it will ultimately become part of the massive Asian combine, led by Russia and China, in the final great clash that annihilates the king of the north.

Daniel 11:44 states, “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.”_A Sino-Russian-led conglomerate, which will include certain of the Indonesian peoples, will clash with this European bloc.

There are two probable geopolitical reasons for this. 1) Asia will most likely be greatly affected by Europe’s ultimate control of the Middle East, and thus the world’s oil production. Indonesia is an oil-rich country. Its strategic importance as a supplier of energy to Asia will be greatly increased at this time. 2) Indonesia, as well as other Muslim countries in the East like Pakistan, the Philippines and Malaysia (descendants of which are also listed as part of the eastern alliance), would probably show interest in joining this bloc in reaction to the king of the north’s trampling over its Muslim brothers to the west.

As far as the near future is concerned, the Trumpet has shown that the U.S.’s war against terrorism will by no means eradicate it (see last month’s issue). Extremist elements in Indonesia will only grow more brazen, converting more of the moderate Muslims over to waging jihad in the East. These elements will propagate as the king of the south extends its global influence.