End strikes before Ramadhan, says RI

End strikes before Ramadhan, says RI

Agencies, Shanghai

Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda warned Sunday of an "explosive" reaction in the Islamic world if U.S. strikes against Afghanistan continue into the Muslim fasting month starting mid-November.

"Ramadhan is important for Muslims to reflect and express solidarity, so those who suffer emotionally, it will be, I think, explosive if military actions are still being done in Afghanistan," Hassan told reporters after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shanghai.

The reaction would be felt "not only (in) Indonesia but other Muslim countries as well", he warned.

"For countries with large Muslim populations like Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, prolonged military conflict in Afghanistan will have an effect of destabilizing these countries."

"We clearly conveyed in our discussions on the ministerial level meetings that prolonged war will not help create better situations in many developing Islamic countries," he said.

Hassan met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday and conveyed Indonesia's concerns about the U.S.-led bombardment of Afghanistan.

The foreign minister said on Friday that Powell understood the sensitivities about continuing the strikes into Ramadhan.

There have been near daily protests in several cities in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, since the U.S. launched its campaign against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan on October 7.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, in an apparent attempt to appease Muslims angry at civilian casualties in Afghanistan, last Sunday indirectly criticized the attacks. Her vice president, Hamzah Haz, has called for them to stop.

Megawati and U.S. President George W. Bush were both attending the two-day APEC summit that ended Sunday. They did not hold a separate bilateral meeting on the sidelines, although Megawati had apparently sought talks with Bush to explain Indonesia's position.

Nevertheless, President Megawati Soekarnoputri said on Sunday that the United States and Japan would continue giving financial assistance to Indonesia despite growing anti-U.S. sentiment in the country.

"The U.S. and Japan have hinted that they will continue giving (financial) assistance (to Indonesia)," Megawati said as quoted by SCTV television.

Indonesia, according to the President, still needs financial assistance from the two countries as it faces even greater economic challenges in the next few months.

Megawati visited the U.S. in mid-September, during which visit President George W. Bush pledged financial assistance worth over US$600 million.

Hassan said the government was guaranteeing security in Indonesia with heavy deployments of troops and police in Jakarta alone.

"We want to be a good host so that all the foreigners will be safe," he said, amid threats against Westerners by some Indonesian hard-liners.

"The expression by some groups of radical thinking is a minority. Most Indonesians are moderate Muslims," Hassan said.

Indonesian police have been getting tougher with the anti-U.S. protesters, making several arrests and attempting to charge at least one hard-line Islamic leader, Al Habib Muhammad Rizieq, chairman of the Islam Defenders Front.

Hassan reiterated calls by Indonesia, which have been backed by Russia, China and Malaysia, for the United Nations to coordinate the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

Commenting on the start of U.S. ground operations in Afghanistan, he said: "Our preference is for collective action by the United Nations rather than unilateral action by the United States and its alliance.

"We are concerned about growing (Afghan) civilian casualties in terms of the increasing flow of refugees," he said.

The APEC leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, issued an anti-terrorism statement at the conclusion of their summit which condemned the September 11 atrocities as "murderous deeds".

While opposing the U.S. retaliation for the strikes on New York and Washington, Malaysia and Indonesia both signed up to the APEC statement's broader pledges to hunt down terrorism and for the UN to play "a major role".

"Indonesia strongly condemns terrorism, because of our beliefs," the foreign minister said.

"Indonesia, being the largest Muslim country, is against terrorism because this is against Islamic teachings, which preach peace."