Govt cautioned over UN mission

Govt cautioned over UN mission

Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Four factions in the House of Representatives urged the
government to move with caution over its offer to join a UN
peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan, with one faction warning
that Indonesia was playing into Washington's hands.

While the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), led by President Megawati Soekarnoputri, said it
understood the government's stance, four other factions said
Indonesia should not have made the offer so quickly.

Hajrianto Tohari of Golkar, the second largest faction, said
the peacekeeping operation plan could be a ploy to force the
United Nations into promoting Washington's agenda in Afghanistan.

"Naturally, the United States wants to wash its bloody hands.
It is leaving the mess that it created for Muslim countries to
clean up and to deal with the chaos," Hajrianto told The Jakarta
Post by phone.

Firman Jaya Daeli of PDI Perjuangan, which has the largest
faction in the House, said Indonesia's offer was consistent with
its free and active foreign policy principle.

Firman nevertheless said the government should first consult
with the House before sending its troops to Afghanistan.

Indonesia's offer was formally made by Minister of Foreign
Affairs Hassan Wirayuda at the United Nations General Assembly
this week.

Indonesia, which has had considerable experience in
peacekeeping operations dating back to the Suez Canal war in
1957, had been named with other predominantly Muslim countries
like Bangladesh, Jordan and Turkey as being most suited to the
job in Afghanistan.

The United Nations is currently discussing a plan for
Afghanistan following the collapse of the Taliban regime in
Kabul, looking at the possibility of forming an interim broad
based coalition government and the establishment of a
peacekeeping force.

Ahmad Sumargono, chairman of the Crescent and Star Party (PBB)
faction, cautioned that Indonesia's peacekeeping force could be
used as a "bumper" for the United States in dealing with the
people in Afghanistan.

He recalled that the United Nations had not once attempted to
stop the U.S. military action in Afghanistan, launched on Oct. 7.

Zein Badjeber of the United Development Party (PPP) said the
government's offer contradicted its earlier position of opposing
the United States' military action in Afghanistan.

"The U.S. attack led to the ouster of the government in Kabul,
and Afghanistan is now left in chaos. Why should our government
be enthusiastic about cleaning up the mess that the U.S. has left
behind?" he asked.

Ahmad Farhan Hamid of the Reform Faction said that before
committing its troops, Indonesia should make sure that
Afghanistan became a UN-administered territory.

"The status of Afghanistan is not clear now," Ahmad said,
adding that sending troops at this stage would be a violation of
Afghanistan's sovereignty.