PRESIDENT: RI NOT TO BE DEFEATED BY TERRORISM

Jakarta, Aug. 14 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has stated that Indonesia must not and will not be defeated by terrorism.

"The terrorist acts of bombing public places are truly inhumane. The victims are innocent people, either citizens of friendly countries or Indonesians themselves," President Yudhoyono said in his state address on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of Indonesian Independence, before the plenary session of the House of Representatives at Parliament building here on Friday.
During the last few years, the country's security situation has been improving. Unfortunately, this improving security stability was compromised by the terrorist acts last month, he said.
"These terrorists want us to be gripped by fear and, subsequently, to stop our daily activities. We are thankful that Indonesia is a great nation, a strong nation that can withstand all kinds of challenges, including terrorism," he stated.

In the terrorist acts this time around, there is a new phenomenon, namely the terrorist acts were aimed directly against their own country, including the plan to assassinate its head of state, he explained.

"The Government that I lead will continue to perform its due functions, protecting the people, serving the people and enhancing the welfare of the whole Indonesian nation," Yudhoyono said.

The head of state on the occasion thanked the National Police for untiringly and persistently striving to fight terrorism.

He also asked members of the Police and other security personnel to remain constantly on the alert.

"Continue to raise your vigilance and prevent and eradicate terrorist acts down to its roots, wherever they may be, whoever they are, and whatever their motivations are. To the whole of the Indonesian people, let us collectively unite in the fight against the acts of terrorism," he said.

He called for protection of citizens and youth from misleading and extreme ideas that may lead them to commit acts of terrorism. He also asked the people to help the security apparatus by providing information on perpetrators of terrorism who hide in the midst of the community.

"We are well aware that the acts of terrorism are motivated by a number of main root causes, such as poverty and backwardness, injustice in various parts of the world and the very roots of radicalism," he said.

The government is implementing development aimed at alleviating poverty, backwardness and injustice.

"Therefore, the strategy we have adopted still has two-fold objectives: first, to overcome the root cause; and second, to take incentive measures to prevent and eradicate acts of terrorism whenever and wherever they occur," he said.