Two decades since the Bali bombings in 2002, terrorism still occurs nearly annually in Indonesia. This is despite a strong determination from the Indonesian government to eradicate the threat. This...Show moreTwo decades since the Bali bombings in 2002, terrorism still occurs nearly annually in Indonesia. This is despite a strong determination from the Indonesian government to eradicate the threat. This thesis will therefore attempt to provide an answer to the question: “Why has the Indonesian government, since the Bali bombings of 2002, so far failed to eradicate the terrorism threat, despite the police initially showing success in the aftermath of these bombings?”. In a literature review it will be noted that various authors answer this question by referring to the lack of military involvement in Indonesia’s counter-terrorism efforts. Though, in their arguments the long-term effects of such measures are often ill-considered. Therefore, this thesis will attempt to answer the research question by examining these long-term effects. The core of the argumentation will entail that the ‘hard’ approach that has been implemented by the government since the Bali bombings has created a backlash. Terrorists exploit human rights violations committed by the security forces and a significant amount of those who are incarcerated recidivate.Show less
The versatility of palm oil makes it a demanded global commodity. Almost every product that we use in daily life contains palm oil. However, as palm oil plantations are mostly located in Southeast...Show moreThe versatility of palm oil makes it a demanded global commodity. Almost every product that we use in daily life contains palm oil. However, as palm oil plantations are mostly located in Southeast Asia’s biodiversity-rich forests, their contribution to massive deforestation has resulted in protests from the international community. As the palm oil industry is also dominated by big corporations, the global demand for palm oil incentivizes the needs for plantation expansions. Despite its adverse environmental impact, the land for plantations incrementally expands every year. Although regulations and policies to control land use for plantations have been enforced, there has been little evidence showing the decrease of land use for palm oil plantations. The patronage democracy, as a key feature of Indonesian politics, enhances incentive favouring the economic interest of business actors. With Indonesia’s democratisation, a pervasive patron-client relationship bolsters the ties between district governors (politicians) and palm oil companies (business), especially since decentralisation in which local governments are responsible for a large part of their own budget. Subsequently, it poses the question: how does patronage democracy halt the effort to combat corruption of palm oil land deals in Kalimantan? From 2 corruption cases of district head’s corruption in Gunung Mas and Seruyan district in Central Kalimantan, this research examines the creation of a system deriving from patronage democracy that halts the effort to combat corruption of palm oil land deals.Show less
