Indonesian volunteers

During the recent anti-American demonstrations, following the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan in search of Osama bin Laden, there were daily reports about Indonesian volunteers signing up to fight alongside the Taliban in what they called a jihad (holy war). Despite the government's disapproval, a couple of hundred of them managed to make it to Afghanistan and have presumably taken part in the fighting.

The latest reports about their whereabouts only mention that they have been taken prisoner by the Northern Alliance forces. If they had refused to surrender or not defected they could very well be among those who have been slaughtered.

Officially, the Indonesian government is making no effort to find out what has actually happened to them. One thing is certain, these Indonesian volunteers were traveling without proper documents.

Only the Indonesian Red Cross can still do something, by contacting the International Red Cross to help arrange the safe return home for those volunteers unless, of course, they are already being held in captivity.

When the war is over, women will have a greater role to play. Already five Afghan women have been included in the power-sharing talks in Bonn, Germany. But one wonders why so many Indonesian women, who took part in supporting the Taliban regime, were so ignorant of the fate of women there.

It is important to remember that Afghanistan still needs volunteers to work there as nurses, doctors, engineers and teachers to help rebuild the country. But where are those volunteers? Before they go they should learn English or Arabic and be willing to sacrifice their future. Alternatively, they could work as volunteer social workers under the UN flag or any other such organization.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta