Chapter 6 Terrorism and violent internal conflict in post-soeharto Indonesia: Beyond the Jihadi prism of analysis

Abstract

Purpose – Since September 2001, most studies of terrorism have focused on the motives and operations of transnational terrorist groups, especially Islamist jihadi groups. Yet statistics from the past decade indicate that most terrorist attacks occurred within violent internal conflicts. Indonesia is a case in point. Following the fall of the Soeharto regime in 1998, terrorism became a hallmark of separatist and inter-communal violence that cost the lives of thousands of Indonesians. The aim of this chapter is to look beyond the jihadi-focused prism of terrorism studies and to examine the secessionist conflicts in Aceh and Papua to determine why and to what extent terrorism was used by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Free Papua Movement (OPM) respectively, and the role that economic factors played in the process.

Methodology – By synthesising the causes of violent internal conflicts and of terrorism, a framework of societal and organisational factors is constructed to explain why terrorism was used by GAM and OPM, and why, in the case of GAM it stopped, while in the case of OPM, it continues.

Findings – In general, socio-economic and political factors rather than religious ideology explain why terrorism was used by GAM and continues to be used by OPM in their respective secessionist conflicts. Economic grievances fuelled by resource exploitation and inequitable sharing of resource rents have been contributing factors.

Originality/value of chapter – The analysis departs from previous approaches, which have focused primarily on the causes and course of the conflicts themselves and not on when and why such conflicts have included terrorist attacks.

Citation

Piggott, L. (2010), "Chapter 6 Terrorism and violent internal conflict in post-soeharto Indonesia: Beyond the Jihadi prism of analysis", Goldsmith, B.E. and Brauer, J. (Ed.) Economics of War and Peace: Economic, Legal, and Political Perspectives (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 14), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 89-105. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1572-8323(2010)0000014010