The Inconsistency Of Government Statements Regarding Ex-ISIS Citizens

Menkopolhumam Mahfud MD, together with the Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto. (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has confirmed that it will not return hundreds of ex-ISIS Indonesian citizens (WNI) to Indonesia. However, this decision was deemed inconsistent because there were several changes not long after the statement was made.

Through the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD, the government submitted a decision which was the result of discussion in a cabinet meeting. Based on several considerations, the government ensures that it will not make efforts to repatriate 683 people spread across three camps, namely Al Roj, Al Hol, and Ainisa.

"If terrorists are definitely not (sent home). Those who have joined the terrorists want to be sent home for what? In fact, it will become dangerous here," said Mahfud at the Kemenkopolhukam Office, Wednesday, February 12.

One of the considerations that became the basis for the decision not to return the hundreds of ex-ISIS people was because the government wanted to provide a sense of security to hundreds of millions of other Indonesians. This is because if the former combatants are sent home, it is not impossible that there will be a new terrorist virus in the community.

"If this FTF (Foreign Terrorist Fighters) returns, it will become a new virus that makes the people of 267 million feel insecure," said Mahfud.

In his statement, Mahfud also said that the government would allow the hundreds of people to be in three refugee camps in Syria. This is because their whereabouts were discovered after information from several parties and not on reports from hundreds of ex-ISIS members.

"Yeah, yeah (just let it go). They didn't report it was only found outsiders who found the CIA (Central Intelligence Agent) and ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), this is an Indonesian. We also don't know what, their passports have been burned, what to do with it, "said Mafud.

The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs @mohmahfudmd emphasized that the government will not repatriate Foreign Terrorist Fighters or combatants from Indonesia who are abroad. This is because the FTFs did not report when they left the country. pic.twitter.com/Lf4AgKr6RU

- Republic of Indonesia Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (@PolhukamRI) February 12, 2020

Even though it seems so firm with the decision, the government has actually opened up opportunities to repatriate children under the age of ten who have joined or been involved in the terrorist network. However, there are several notes or classifications if the discourse on returning children occurs.

"But, case by case," said Mahfud, adding, the children who were sent home were only those who no longer had parents or were orphans.

Responding to the statement, the Community of Ideological Islamic Analyst (CIIA) Terrorism Observer Harits Abu Ulya said the government's decision seemed inconsistent. So, there is a possibility that later this decision will change over time.

Moreover, the government has also received criticism related to laws, humanism and security. "That is an ambiguous and predictable statement. It is a temporary decision. It is possible to change," said Ulya.

According to Ulya, the government must make a firm decision. If the children are going to send home, the government is obliged to study in depth the track record or the level of exposure to radicalism to the person who is going to be repatriated.

"This is because the long-term impact will occur because children are afraid to hold a grudge against the state because they do not send their parents home," said Ulya.

However, the state or government does have an obligation to think about the future of these children even though they have lived side by side with terrorist groups. Based on that reason, Ulya thought that it would be better for the government to repatriate the children together with their parents.

However, in the process of repatriation, the government must selectively select those who will receive deradicalization guidance or will be punished after arriving in the country. In this way, it is felt that it can prevent any long-term impact on children who are included in the discourse on returning.

"After an in-depth study, then selectively those who enter the category can be repatriated, so they can be sent home. And upon arrival in Indonesia, if there is a category that must be given a sentence, then take it to court. this is BNPT and related institutions, "he added.

However, most importantly, said Ulya, long-term supervision or monitoring of parents and children who have been discharged must continue to be carried out so that they are no longer exposed to radicalism.

So that, later on, the sleeping cells of terrorists will not be used, whose existence is still scattered in almost all regions of Indonesia. "Likewise in the security aspect, they need intensive monitoring so as not to be contaminated with extreme views," said Ulya.