HomeUncategorizedMiddle East Turnmoil, ISIS & Its Impact to Indonesia

Middle East Turnmoil, ISIS & Its Impact to Indonesia

 Post Event Information:

EISENHOWER FELLOWSHIPS INDONESIA
ALUMNI NETWORK DISCUSSION
Jakarta, March, 5, 2015

Discussion : “Middle East Turnmoil, ISIS and It’s Impact for Indonesia”

Event Description:

Through media coverage, 24/7 news cycle, we become eye witness on the rising threat of extremism around the world. The global spread of this threat, which has turned home-grown in many cities, is apparent and alarming – from Boston, Ottawa, Paris, Sydney, Copenhagen, and off course countries in Middle East.

And the effort to fight extremism, move to borderless battlefield: social media.

This internet platform used smartly by extremist organization to spread their values and beliefs.

They are aiming youth. It works well in Europe and Middle East. Last week, we saw in the news, three UK schoolgirls, left to Syria follow jihadi. Hundreds of women proposed marriage ISIS jihadist, arranged by jihad match maker using online platform.

Everyday, about 90.000 social media contents posted, spreading the values of ISIS or ISIS-affiliated group. The online messaging has aimed to create a competing narrative that strikes an emotional chord with potential militants weighing whether to join a violent extremist group.

Expert share stories about how ISIS’ social media engagement began in the morning and continued late into the night: it is personal and it targets vulnerable youth.

The US estimates that at least 20,000 jihadist have been lured by ISIS in a little more than 3 years, far more than the 10,000 who fought in Afghanistan in a decade of conflict that spawned al-Qaeda, as stated by Rappler.com in this link: http://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/84803-fight-isis-build-communities

In Indonesia, media reporting about 50 people went to Syria to join ISIS jihadist. The Anti Terorrism Desk predict that about 500 people joined ISIS. So far they don’t do violence or terror attacks. They are actively spreading the intention to form “caliphate” through social media.

So far, ISIS activities in recrutment targeting Europe and Middle East Countries.

During “Militant Islam and Middle East Turnmoil” Public Seminar hold in Bangkok, on 6th of February this year, experts from South East Asian and Middle East countries share their concern on the way ISIS and its affiliates using online platform to spread values and doing recruitment.

One of reccomendation from the seminar following one day intensive closed discusion, is the importance of building communities and fighting extremism through these communities, on grassroot level as well as in online. Bottom up, not top down process.

The same reccomendation came from White House Summit on Countering Violence and Extremism hold in Washington DC, US, on 18 February 2015.

Countering Violence and Extremism (CVE) is the largest effort so far to unite governments, private sector and civic society groups globally on a “bottom-up approach” to fighting the evolution of the virulent ideology behind terrorism.

CVE is a discipline used in many countries around the world that aims to prevent terrorism where it begins: the radicalization of young people in communities. It tries to undermine the attraction of violence through 3 ways: by “building awareness, countering extremist narratives, and emphasizing community-led intervention

As the most populous muslim country, and the 3rd largest democracy in the world, Indonesia have a role to play in voicing their condemnation of acts that have negatively portrayed Islam in the eyes of the world.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said, “Combating radicalism and terrorism is not just by using force,” and that cooperation in the context of moderation among moderate Muslims is now more important than before. She said this during President Joko Widodo visit to Brunei, in February 2015.

Last month, the foreign ministers of ASEAN countries, renewed their commitment to combating violent extremism including through the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) as a new approach in international relations and foreign policy with the main goal of applying perspectives and frameworks of moderation to realise world peace and harmony.

Indonesia, is one the most active country in social media media development, with 40 percent of population is youth.
With the concern of the current development, the involvement of Eisenhower Fellowships alumnae in Indonesia in discussion related CVE, Eisenhower Fellowships Indonesia Alumnae Network hold a public gathering on topic: “Middle East Turnmoil, ISIS and Its Impact to Indonesia.

The objective of discussion is providing forum for various parties concern, from diplomats, media, social media, filmmakers, grass roots activist about the topic and challenges, as well as building communities and networking.

The discussion on March 5, 2015, enlightened by  competent and insightful speakers:

1. Prof Alwi Shihab, former Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Indonesia Special Envoy to Middle East
2. Komjen Saut Usman Nasution, Head of National
Anti Terrorism Agency

3. Yuli Ismartono, Chief Editor Tempo English (MNP 1999)

Hosted by Uni Lubis (MNP, 2011)

The audience, around 70 people from various backround, also got insights, life experience of  jihadist, who were joining Jamaah Islamiyah Network, also as a recruiter for ISIS, and how dangerous this VE threat. Clear and Present.

Eisenhower Fellowships is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization created in 1953 by a group of prominent American citizens to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his contribution to humanity as a soldier, statesman, and world leader. The organization engages mid-career (age 32-45) professionals from around the world to enhance their leadership skills, broaden their network of contacts, deepen their global perspectives, and unite them in a diverse, global community where dialogue, understanding, and collaboration lead to a more prosperous, just, and peaceful world.

Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) exists to inspire leaders around the world to challenge themselves, to think beyond their current scope, to engage others, including outside of their current networks, and to leverage their own talents to better the world around them.

EF central operational responsibility is to find people who can envisage, as Dwight Eisenhower did, a more prosperous, just and peaceful world, and have the passion to pursue specific activities with real impact to achieve those goals.

EF has 2,000 alumni in 50 countries, included Indonesia, who are sending fellow candidates after very selective process of recuitment since 1959. We have about 60 alumni from various background and profession, included: Prof Nurcholish Madjid (late), Agung Laksono, Nabiel Makariem, Mari Elka Pangestu, Rudy Pesik, Ninok Leksono, Natalia Soebagio, Jerry Ng, Onno W. Purbo, Tri Mumpuni, Sita Adhisakti, Fabby Tumiwa, Ismid Hadad, Rahmad Pribadi, Yuli Ismartono, Yani Motik, Hernani Syirikit, Tantowi Yahya, Rusdian Lubis, Suryo Bambang Sulisto, Bambang Soemantri Brodjonegoro, Suahasil Nazara, Budi Lim, Nia Dinata, Svida Alisjahbana, Eka Lorena Sari, Melli Darsa, Uni Z. Lubis, Elisa Tanudjaja, Fifiek Mulyana, Megain Widjaja.###

 

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Previous post
Laga Anti Korupsi Ahok vs DPRD (Bagian 3)
Next post
Kerjasama EU dan ASEAN untuk Harmonisasi Pendidikan Tinggi

No Comment

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *