Violent extremism has become a serious concern for countries around the world; Indonesia is no exception. According to Barton et al. (2022), violent extremism is related to social movements by non-state actors who have extremist political positions and believe that the use of violence is justified to reach their political ends. Based on the Global Terrorism Index 2023, Indonesia has experienced a significant decrease in attacks since 2014. However, terrorist attacks have been more lethal, with the average number of deaths per attack doubling from 1.5 deaths per attack to 3.6 deaths per attack in 2021. A noteworthy aspect to take into account is that women have become more involved in partaking combatant roles in violent extremism, such as suicide bombers and trained fighters, roles that are commonly assumed by men (Barton et al., 2022). This trend is marked by the Surabaya incidents in May 2018, in which a mother and her daughter launched a suicide bombing in a church. According to Satria (2022, in K-Hub, n.d.), Indonesia’s capacity to handle this issue has increased since Bom Bali in 2002. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are key players actively involved in Preventing / Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) efforts ranging from capacity-building and deradicalization to policy advocacy at the grassroots level.
Women in Indonesia have played a pivotal role in demonstrating leadership and activism in advancing PCVE efforts, particularly at the grassroots level. Mega Priyanti is one of the best examples. She works as a companion for the wives of former terrorists, deportees, and returnees in Tim Tangguh, a PCVE committee in Mekarjaya village, Depok City, Indonesia. Families of former terrorists have received many negative stigmas from society; they were seen as dangerous, ruthless, and killers. Such stigmas isolate them from society, limiting their access to basic human rights. Because of those stigmas, it is hard for wives of former terrorists to get jobs, while they have become the backbone of their household since their husbands were in prison. They also face difficulty getting health facilities and education for their children. Because of that, Mega wants to help the reintegrate process of the families of former terrorists into the community and break the stigma. For Mega, no one chose to be entangled in a terrorist group. They are also victims and have the right to get a second chance to rebuild a better life. Therefore, instead of judging and excluding them from society, it is more critical to offer support and guidance to them.
Mega actively approached ex-terrorist families and adopted a friendly demeanor in communication with them. She became a safe space in which the wives of former terrorists express their grievances so they do not feel left behind. To address the negative stigma in society about former terrorist families, Mega tried to build a more humanized discourse about them that they are also victims and had lost families, jobs, wealth, and even hope. Through the Reflective Structure Dialogue (RSD) program, Mega sought to open more meeting spaces for ex-terrorist families and the public to interact so both parties could get a better understanding and empathy about each other. Mega also encouraged ex-terrorist wives to be economically empowered by assisting them in seeing more job opportunities and building their small businesses. Mega’s efforts have yielded success, as indicated by the decreasing negative prejudices against the families of ex-terrorists and the increasing economic empowerment of ex-terrorist wives, even though their husbands are still in prison.
Mega’s social work in assisting the wives of ex-terrorists has demonstrated that women also can contribute to PCVE efforts actively. Her identity as a woman and as a victim of sexual violence makes her more sensitive to the needs and difficulties faced by other women as victims of terrorist networks. It helps her to formulate more empathetic approaches that can answer the problems of victims, thus giving them hope and confidence to build a better life and escape the extremist network. This empowerment enabled ex-terrorist wives to become potential agents of peace, helping to prevent their husbands or families from returning to terrorist activities. Instead of focusing on punitive measures and a heavy-security approach, as most Indonesian governments handle this issue, Mega has shown us that an emphatic approach prioritizing humanitarian values could also positively impact PCVE efforts. According to a study, punitive measures can actually reinforce the radical beliefs of terrorist convicts that could drive them to recidivism (Fikriyati, 2018).
Regardless of the dark past of ex-terrorists, they are still human beings who need social connections and support from people around them to be better. Many ex-terrorists, when they leave prison, face difficulty in cutting off their previous terrorist networks. Many of their terrorist networks offer more financial and social support for them (Fachrudi, 2016). Their previous network has become their “spiritual home,” providing them with care and a sense of protection (Ruang Damai, 2022), while society ostracises them because of the negative stigma of ex-terrorists. Therefore, it is vital to create a supportive environment in which they can feel part of society so their children do not grow up in an atmosphere of hatred and exclusion towards them. It could stop the transmission of extremist ideology to future generations. Thus, Mega’s experience teaches us that a more victim-centred approach is essential because violence only begets new violence, while peace begets peace.
References
Barton, G., Vergani, M., & Wahid, Y. (2022). Countering violent and hateful extremism in Indonesia : Islam, gender and civil society. Palgrave Macmillan.
Fachrudi , F. (2016, November 15). Mantan Napi Teroris Kembali ke Jaringan Lama karena Dapat Dukungan. KOMPAS.com. https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2016/11/15/11314351/mantan.napi.teroris.kembali.ke.jaringan.lama.karena.dapat.dukungan
Fikriyati, U. N. (2018). PEREMPUAN DAN DERADIKALISASI: Peran Para Istri Mantan Terpidana Terorisme dalam Proses Deradikalisasi. Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif, 12(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.14421/jsr.v12i1.1326
K-Hub . (2023, May 29). Melacak Dampak Organisasi Masyarakat Sipil (OMS) PCVE di Indonesia. Khub.id. https://khub.id/outlook/melacakdampak
Nisa, Y. K., & Priyanti, M. (2023). Tangan Dingin Perempuan Wujudkan Penerimaan terhadap Para “Mantan”: Krisis Menghadirkan Sisi Humanis . In Teroris, Korban, Pejuang Damai: Perempuan dalam Pusaran Ekstremisme Kekerasan di Indonesia. Asian Muslim Action Network Indonesia.
Ruang Damai. (2022, October 8). Mengapa Mengucilkan Mantan Narapidana Terorisme Bisa Menjadi Bumerang? Kumparan. https://kumparan.com/ruang-damai/mengapa-mengucilkan-mantan-narapidana-terorisme-bisa-menjadi-bumerang-1z0GyGBu7up/4
The Institute for Economics & Peace. (2023). Global Terrorism Index 2023: Measuring the Impact of Terrorism. The Institute for Economics & Peace. https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GTI-2023-web-170423.pdf
