The good policeman from Bali
In the war against terrorism, United States officials owe much to Police Inspector-General I Made Mangku Pastika. The slim, plain-speaking Indonesian not only arrested most of the Bali bombing suspects, but he also convinced millions of his doubting countrymen that the blast was not part of some bizarre CIA plot.
Mr Pastika took the uncoerced confessions of the prime Bali suspects and held a public demonstration of their bomb-making ability to overcome a 'culture of denial' that made it difficult for people to believe the horrors were homegrown. The police already had big dossiers on the suspects before the October 12 tragedy. But no arrests were made because there was no political will to risk upsetting the Islamic community.
The dread of alienating the Muslim majority still haunts Indonesia. But the positive side for Indonesia's neighbours is that it is no longer indifferent to the potential of the Jamaah Islamiah regional terrorist network. Mr Pastika warned that the network sees 'Singapore and Malaysia as an economic zone to make money and accumulate funds' and would 'use the Philippines as a training ground and Indonesia as an area of operation'.
He considers the Bali bombings as much a wake-up call for Indonesia as the events of September 11 were for America. Indonesia now has an anti-terrorism taskforce co-ordinating the work of agencies and an anti-terrorism law that will help prosecutors and judges crack down on offenders.
Mr Pastika was just the right man for Bali. He did his advanced police training in Australia, so he was comfortable working with the Western agents who came to help. Also, as a Balinese heading the investigation, he had more than enough motivation to nail the bomb-makers from East Java.
Another remarkable thing about Mr Pastika is how he managed to rise through the ranks of the Indonesian police with his honour and reputation intact. This is an organisation that, because of a lack of government support, has to depend on outside sources for as much as 70 per cent of its upkeep. Critics wonder how police chiefs manage to make up the deficit without resorting to corrupt or illegal means.
Mr Pastika is asking for help, and some is coming. This year, America is providing US$13 million (HK$101 million) for the police. Britain is seeking to train Indonesians in unarmed policing and Japan is providing equipment for forensic investigation. No one expects the institution to change overnight, but the success of one police chief in cracking a politically difficult case like Bali suggests it is not beyond reform.
Eduardo Lachica is a writer on Asian affairs based in Washington
