By : Elisabeth Titania Dionne )*
All elements of the nation must be able to unite in making the upcoming 2024 New Year celebration a celebration with joy and full of security. Therefore, vigilance is very important to be able to prevent increased activity from radical groups and also the possibility of terrorist threats or disturbances which seriously threaten the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
Head of the National Agency for Countering Terrorism (BNPT), Commissioner General of Police (Komjen Pol) Rycko Amelza Dahniel emphasized that radicalism and acts of terrorism are certainly not in accordance with state ideology and threaten the integrity of the Republic of Indonesia.
It is known that the beginning of radicalism and terrorism first grew from a seed of intolerance, which is an attitude and thought that completely cannot accept the differences that exist in society.
Differences in any order of life are an inevitability that will definitely exist and occur in society. So it is very important for all of society to uphold this attitude of tolerance, because differences themselves can never be eradicated in the world.
However, there are still a group of people who find it very difficult to accept the fact that all humans have these differences. They only assume that the group that is definitely right are people who have the same thoughts and the same understanding, which automatically means that if they meet other people who are different they will immediately be considered wrong.
Apart from that, radical ideology and terrorism are very dangerous things because they can damage the sustainability of human civilization itself and also further tear humanity apart. This is because radicals will do anything and everything, including sacrificing their humanity, to fight other groups or people who have different views from them.
Radical ideology is also an ideology that is very synonymous with the teachings of violence, spreading hatred, committing atrocities and barbarism against other humans without discrimination, especially anyone who does not want to follow their desires and ideology. It is very clear that the ideology of radicalism itself greatly departs from the existing reality of human life which is full of compassion.
The Head of BNPT also explained that there are a number of important issues at the end of 2023, including New Year celebrations or welcoming the New Year 2024. Some of these important issues are how the security forces will be able to ensure that the New Year and the elections can run safely and peacefully. without any attacks from terrorists.
According to him, the public can show their active participation in fighting radicalism and terrorism, namely so that the public is not easily provoked by issues regarding Gaza, where usually in these issues there are groups of irresponsible people who deliberately use the issue for their own interests.
Although it is clear from the graphic data that terrorist attacks continue to decline, this is also the impact of the security forces’ strong commitment to fighting radical groups and terrorism. However, this does not mean that the security forces will simply become complacent, because it is possible that the pattern of attacks that will be carried out by this group has changed from the previous hard approach to a soft approach , but it is still very threatening to the Republic of Indonesia.
It appears as if the radical and terrorist groups are reducing the intensity and frequency of their attacks, but it is also strongly suspected that they are only developing strategies by further strengthening their cells or networks, while continuing to wait for the right momentum to carry out attacks, such as during New Year celebrations.
So it is very important to increase the sense of mutual care from the community and public participation so that it will automatically create resilience or resilience in society from the threat of radical groups and terrorism.
The resilience possessed by the community itself is a form of psychological resilience, namely their ability to be able to overcome a crisis mentally and emotionally or be able to return to their pre-crisis status quickly. Therefore, appeals continue to be made so that all parties can increase their awareness in fighting radicalism. and terrorism because if it only relies on the strength of the security forces alone it will certainly not be effective, when compared to assistance from the community.
An effective strategy to be able to fight radicalism and terrorism is to continue to strengthen cooperation from all relevant parties, and continue to maintain national unity and integrity because only in this way will the steps taken by radical and terrorist groups to weaken the country’s resilience have no impact. Apart from that, it will also be very influential in jointly realizing a safe New Year.
)* The author is a Contributor to the Gelora Media Institute