Megawati's momentous message

The courage of Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri to criticize the United States at the UN General Assembly should be highly appreciated.

In the international forum attended by 191 world leaders, Megawati stressed that injustice in the Middle East has been the main source of all kinds of terrorism.

The Indonesian president said US support for Israel has made Muslims around the world believe that the U.S. policy toward the Middle East is absolutely unfair.

"We all have to admit that the injustice, worsened by the sense of being marginalized and being ignored, has augmented the climate of terrorism," Megawati stressed at the 58th UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

In Megawati's point of view, the solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict would be key to combating international terrorism.

This opinion has long been in the mind of Muslim countries but no one dared to express it officially in an international forum, the way Megawati did.

What has been voiced by Megawati was the official stance of the Indonesian people, in behalf of other nations which feel marginalized by the West, particularly by the U.S.

To remind the U.S. in a UN forum, which was also attended by US President George W. Bush, is to show a corrective attitude.

Thus, we have to appreciate President Megawati this time for her speech, which should become the basis of Indonesia's foreign policy in its war against terrorism.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta