Yesterday, it was announced that Indonesia's President, Joko Widodo, would pardon convicted terrorist, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, six years before the end of his prison term. This is the man who ordered the Bali bombing of 2002, which killed 202 people and injured an additional 209. Jokowi (as the President is otherwise known) cited Ba'asyir's advanced age and ill health as justification for the pardon.
I personally doubt whether this justification flies with those who lost loved ones in the bombing or with those who are still suffering from permanent physical and psychological injuries. I know some of these people and know them to be permanently traumatized. Moreover, As'yir continues to show no remorse for the attack and continues to refuse to pledge allegiance to the Indonesian government ideal of Pancasila--tolerance for all peoples and religions.
So what's the deal?
Well, it just so happens that Indonesia is days away from a national election, and in a national election, you want to please as many people as possible, whether they be Islamic extremists in Indonesia or white supremacists in America. Very good people on both sides. Given that Jokowi has been somewhat of a westward leaning progressive, while Prabowo is more the 'redneck' representative, I suppose that this pardon is meant to show that he, too, can be on the side of Jihad if you just give him a chance.
Politics is a fairly nauseating business throughout the world, ain't it?
I personally doubt whether this justification flies with those who lost loved ones in the bombing or with those who are still suffering from permanent physical and psychological injuries. I know some of these people and know them to be permanently traumatized. Moreover, As'yir continues to show no remorse for the attack and continues to refuse to pledge allegiance to the Indonesian government ideal of Pancasila--tolerance for all peoples and religions.
So what's the deal?
Well, it just so happens that Indonesia is days away from a national election, and in a national election, you want to please as many people as possible, whether they be Islamic extremists in Indonesia or white supremacists in America. Very good people on both sides. Given that Jokowi has been somewhat of a westward leaning progressive, while Prabowo is more the 'redneck' representative, I suppose that this pardon is meant to show that he, too, can be on the side of Jihad if you just give him a chance.
Politics is a fairly nauseating business throughout the world, ain't it?
2 comments:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/01/21/684495345/researchers-find-a-web-of-factors-behind-multiple-sclerosis. Article about recent research on ms
Mb--Thank you. This is very interesting indeed.
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