RI laments U.S. decision to abandon diplomacy<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, lamented the
\ndecision by the United States and its allies not to resolve the
\nIraq crisis through diplomacy, saying that war was not the
\nsolution.<\/p>\n
Pleading for all parties to push for a peaceful solution
\nwithin the next 48 hours, Jakarta said that war would destabilize
\nthe entire world.<\/p>\n
\"We regret the U.S. statement as it will spark acts of
\nviolence in the region,\" Coordinating Minister for Political and
\nSecurity Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Tuesday after
\nan emergency meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
\"We still believe a peaceful solution must be achieved as war
\nwill only create chaos around the globe,\" he held.<\/p>\n
The meeting was held to anticipate the imminent war following
\nU.S. President George W. Bush's ultimatum that Iraqi President
\nSaddam Hussein leave his country within 48 hours.<\/p>\n
Susilo said Jakarta had asked the United Nations Security
\nCouncil (UNSC) to call an emergency meeting and forge a peaceful
\nend to the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"We urge all parties to give diplomacy the last chance to
\nwork. The UNSC should immediately take steps to avert war in the
\nGulf,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz said an attack on Iraq would be
\nconsidered an invasion and a violation of that country's
\nsovereignty.<\/p>\n
With war seemingly drawing near, Indonesia closed its embassy
\nin Baghdad as of Monday and evacuated all of its nationals from
\nthe country. The country also has contingency plans in place to
\nevacuate another 50,000 Indonesians from eight countries near
\nIraq.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government also offered assurances that its oil
\nsupply was sufficient to last until May should war break out. It
\nsaid it would secure additional oil from Kuwait and increase
\ndomestic production.<\/p>\n
Fully aware that war may be unavoidable, Indonesia has also
\nalerted its security forces to anticipate a possible backlash
\nagainst Western interests here.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said 250,000 of his
\nofficers were on alert.<\/p>\n
\"We are increasing the protection of U.S., Britain and
\nAustralian interests, but so far we have yet to receive any major
\nthreats against them,\" the officer said after the emergency
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
He also said the Indonesian Military (TNI) was prepared to
\ndeploy soldiers to back up the police.<\/p>\n
The government also asked community and religious leaders to
\ncooperate in efforts to prevent a backlash in the country.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, Megawati called on the nation to maintain
\npeace and order, and refrain from harming foreign interests
\nshould war erupt.<\/p>\n
\"We are against violence. People may protest the war but they
\nshould not resort to violence. We demand peace and rallies
\nshould not destabilize the country,\" Megawati said during a
\ngathering of members of her Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
Solahuddin Wahid, deputy chairman of the nation's largest
\nMuslim group, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said the possible war could
\npose a threat to peace at home.<\/p>\n
However, he pledged that NU supporters would not resort to
\nviolence to protest a U.S. invasion of Iraq.<\/p>\n
\"We have warned our followers that this is not a religious
\nwar. It is simply a conflict involving U.S. interests in Iraq,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said that NU members would be allowed to hold peace rallies
\nto protest the war.<\/p>\n
\"I ask everyone to remain calm about the possibility of war,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
His words were in stark contrast to statements coming from
\nradical Muslim groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front, which
\npublicly said it would threaten U.S. interests here in the event
\nof war in Iraq.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-laments-us-decision-to-abandon-diplomacy-1447893297",
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