Indonesia Highlights: 34 Convicted Terrorists Take Oath of Allegiance to Indonesia | Jokowi Urges Accelerated Development of Electric Auto Industry | Nusantara Vaccine Initially Developed in the US, T

KOMPAS.com – Dozens of convicted terrorists took the oath of allegiance to Indonesia at the Gunung Sindur Detention Center in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Thursday, April 15.

The move was part of the deradicalization programs to ignite enthusiasm and to reiterate a willingness to stand up for the nation.

In the presidential palace, President Joko “Jokowi '' Widodo called for automotive industry players to speed up the development of electric vehicles as one of the mainstay sectors in the country.

Below are excerpts from the stories in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

34 Convicted Terrorists Take Oath of Allegiance to Indonesia

A total of 34 convicted terrorists took the oath of allegiance to Indonesia at the Gunung Sindur Detention Center in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Thursday, April 15.

Head of West Java’s Law and Human Rights Ministry Regional Office, Sudjonggo, said the oath-taking showed that they gave the country their undivided loyalty.

"This oath-taking is a form of guidance to defend the country," said Sudjonggo in a written statement received by Kompas.com, Thursday.

Sudjonggo said the move was part of the deradicalization programs to ignite enthusiasm and to reiterate a willingness to stand up for the nation.

Besides, the oath recitation is one of the requirements for the convicted terrorists to apply for parole later and other programs. "The implementation of oath-taking ceremony at the Gunung Sindur Prison is carried out gradually and continuously," said Sudjonggo.

Following the oath recitation, Sudjonggo said, both individuals and groups must be willing to leave terrorism. He also said that the pledge of allegiance was not a condition for receiving leniency.

He said that convicts who have pledged their allegiance are expected to become agents who help the government to enlighten the people around them to hinder the process of spreading radicalism in society.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/04/15/193609974/34-convicted-terrorists-take-oath-of-allegiance-to-indonesia.