By : Rahmat Gunawan *)
Radicalism and terrorism are two dangerous things that can damage the Indonesian nation. Similar to the Corona virus, the spread of radicalism and intolerance has spread and the public needs to be aware of the rate of spread of radicalism and terrorism.
Efforts to prevent the spread of radicalism and terrorism must involve the community. This is because radicalism and terrorism can infect anyone without being detected. Sometimes people around the community have been exposed to radicalism and terrorism without realizing it.
Thus, the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) is strengthening its vigilance against radicalism and terrorism and continues to carry out preventive activities. By collaborating with the community, BNPT believes that radicalism and terrorism will be difficult to enter the life system in society.
In addition, BNPT and the Coordination Forum for the Prevention of Terrorism (FKPT) of Central Sulawesi Province introduced the characteristics of radicalism and terrorism to youth in Sigi Regency as an effort to prevent the growth and development of radicalism and terrorism.
The activities carried out by FKPT in introducing the characteristics of radicalism and terrorism were carried out through youth engagement workshops which presented 100 youths consisting of high school and university students, Muslims and non-Muslims, religious organizations, and the Safety Center.
The characteristics of radicalism and terrorism include intolerance, fanaticism, exclusion, and anarchy. Where intolerance does not respect existing differences, then fanaticism is excessive belief in one’s own opinion, and does not respect or accept the opinions of other people or groups. Exclusivity includes closing oneself to people or groups with different opinions and anarchists which includes justifying violent methods, as well as disbelieving other groups with different opinions.
According to the author, currently the spread of radicalism among youth continues to be intensified by radicalism and terrorism groups, especially through social media. We must be aware of this together, by protecting the younger generation of the nation’s successors from the dangers of radicalism and terrorism. Therefore, synergy by all stakeholders and policies is very important, by prioritizing the prevention of radicalism in all aspects for the integrity of the Indonesian nation.
Youth is a component that is expected to fill and continue development in the future. So that the capacity building of youth by providing an understanding of the dangers of radicalism carried out in a sustainable manner is very important and youth must be protected from the dangers of radicalism and terrorism.
Furthermore, to prevent radicalism and terrorism, all Indonesian people must unite and work together. The whole community must work together in fighting radicalism and terrorism so that there are no more acts of intolerance, radicalism, and terrorism and immediately report any indications of such actions to the authorities.
Prevention is indeed more powerful than treatment, and people must care about their surroundings. If there are rumors that a radical group is going to do a sweep, then the community should tell each other so that others can be prepared to avoid being swept away. In addition, it can also make reports so that there are officers who guard it.
According to the author, reporting must be done because we should not be neglected in social life. The act of reporting is not a paranoid but a precaution. By hastening a report to the authorities if you see the characteristics of radical actions, it will be very helpful in preventing the spread of radicalism and terrorism.
Cooperation is indeed mandatory, not only by civil society but also other elements of society. Like religious leaders who can give lectures on anti-radicalism. The head of the RT who also emphasized tolerance in society. So that if we all work together, intolerance and radicalism can disappear from Indonesia.
The author argues that the spread of radicalism and terrorism is not only done openly. In the era of rapidly developing technology as it is today, the spread of radicalism by radical groups is increasingly active in campaigning for radical ideas through social media. They even do recruitment through social media as well. To prevent this, the participation of the community in the community is needed to counter narrative on social media. This effort is very important in order to protect the millennial generation from understandings that are contrary to the Pancasila ideology.
Thus, the author hopes that the public can immediately stay away from information that is proven to contain narratives to divide the unity of the Indonesian nation, such as narratives about anti-Pancasila, anti-democracy, anti-diversity, and anti-tolerance. So that radical groups will not easily enter the life of our society.
Therefore, all elements of society must unite to prevent the spread of radicalism and terrorism that can create divisions in Indonesia. The role of community organizations is also very important in countering narratives on social media to counteract and counter the narratives of terrorism, radicalism, and separatism groups. So that it can reduce and eliminate the narrative that can divide the unity of the Indonesian nation.
*The author is a contributor to the Bunda Mulia Institute