Washington ethnic profiling policy discriminatory: Hassan<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta considers Washington's policy, which obliges Indonesian
\nmales age 16 and over currently staying in the U.S. to register
\nthemselves with immigration authorities as discriminatory and
\nunfriendly.<\/p>\n
\"The new policy is discriminatory, arbitrary, and unacceptable
\nfor Indonesia ... it sends the wrong signal to the war against
\nterrorism as we all know that Indonesia, and the U.S., have both
\nbeen victim to acts of terrorism,\" Minister of Foreign Affairs
\nHassan Wirayuda said on Friday.<\/p>\n
He added that only North Korea, of the 22 countries whose
\ncitizens had to register with U.S. immigration offices, was a
\nnon-Muslim country, indicating that the policy discriminated
\nagainst Muslims.<\/p>\n
\"Washington's decision will be damaging, especially in the
\nlight of the global situation on the Iraq and Palestinian
\nissues,\" Hassan remarked.<\/p>\n
Washington included Indonesia, on Friday, on the list of
\ncountries whose male citizens over 16 years old and living in the
\nU.S. would have to report to the Immigration and Naturalization
\nService (INS) and notify the office about their presence
\nperiodically.<\/p>\n
The regulation, however, does not apply to Indonesian women,
\nmales under 16 years old and green card holders, or those with
\npermanent residence status or a diplomatic passport.<\/p>\n
Most of those required to register are currently in the U.S.
\nas students or business travelers, or are visiting relatives.<\/p>\n
Registration will be from Feb. 24 through March 28,
\nnationwide.<\/p>\n
\"Those who do not have the necessary documentation should
\nconsider going home. The government also suggests that those
\nwishing to travel to the U.S. reconsider their plans for the time
\nbeing,\" Hassan said.<\/p>\n
The minister also revealed that President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri had conveyed Indonesia's concern about the
\nregistration requirements to visiting U.S. envoy to Asia James A.
\nKelly on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian government will closely monitor the
\nimplementation of the decision, especially to prevent possible
\nmistreatment of our citizens during the registration period,\" she
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Jakarta also warned on Friday that the new U.S. policy
\naffecting Indonesian citizens and a possible attack on Iraq in
\nthe coming weeks would likely jeopardize bilateral relations
\nbetween the two countries.<\/p>\n
Washington has been accused of targeting Islam in its fight
\nagainst terrorism, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
\nagainst New York and the Pentagon in 2001.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, was
\nrocked by anti-Western protests when the U.S.-led coalition
\nstruck Afghanistan, accused of harboring Sept. 11 mastermind
\nOsama bin Laden.<\/p>\n
The public protested the Indonesian government's support of
\nWashington's attack on Afghanistan, which is a predominantly
\nMuslim country.<\/p>\n
Iraq, another Muslim country, is likely to be the next target
\nas Washington has insisted that Baghdad has weapons of mass
\ndestruction and must be disarmed.<\/p>\n
In the meeting, Megawati underlined that an attack would have
\na huge impact on the country's domestic politics and another wave
\nof anti-Western sentiment would likely emerge as a result.<\/p>\n
\"All of those factors, should they not be handled properly,
\ncould possibly damage relations with the U.S.,\" Hassan quoted
\nMegawati as saying.<\/p>\n
The minister emphasized that the President also highlighted
\nthe presence of 33,000 Indonesian citizens in Middle Eastern
\ncountries as another matter of concern to Jakarta should war
\nstart.<\/p>\n
With respect to Megawati's complaints, Kelly said briefly, \"A
\nnumber of points made by the President will be taken back to
\nWashington.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/washington-ethnic-profiling-policy-discriminatory-hassan-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}