Moslem group condemns Serb aggression in Bosnia

JAKARTA (JP): An influential Indonesian Moslem movement yesterday accused the Western world of conspiring to destroy the predominantly Moslem Bosnia-Herzegovina and called on the Indonesian government to sever ties with Belgrade.

The Indonesian Committee for World Moslems Solidarity (KISDI) stated that the United Nations have "tied up the feet and hands" of the Bosnian Moslems by refusing to lift an arms embargo imposed on them at the start of the four-year war.

"In order to appear humane, the UN sends food supplies so that the Bosnians can survive for a short time, before the Serbs slaughter and rape their women," spokesman Ahmad Sumargono said in a statement.

"The UN pretends to be blind and not see that the Serbs continue to obtain arms and fuel from Russia and the Western countries," he said.

KISDI, which over the years has organized massive rallies for various causes, called on the Indonesian government to "take concrete actions it has initiated, which is to call for a meeting of the UN Security Council and pressure it to lift the arms embargo".

President Soeharto, as chairman of the 112-member Non-Aligned Movement, offered during his visit to Bosnia in March this year to help find peaceful solutions to the conflict.

KISDI called on the government yesterday to sever diplomatic ties with Belgrade, and to provide facilities for Bosnians who wish to come to Indonesia to seek help and support.

"We call on the government to express our country's concern over the situation by sending assistance in the form of food, clothing and medications," Sumargono said.

"Our organization is ready to mobilize and raise aid from among Indonesian Moslems," he pledged.

The organization also called on the Indonesian Council of Ulemas to resume its activities in raising funds for Bosnians and cooperate with other Moslem organizations here.

"We also call on Indonesian Moslems to pray, individually or together with their congregation, and ask Allah to help ease the suffering of the Bosnian Moslems," Sumargono said.

KISDI called on the heads of Islamic states to mobilize their forces and help find a solution to the bloody conflicts in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"It's time for you to mobilize the strength of Moslems in your countries, to show concrete solidarity and help solve the conflicts, through either diplomatic or military approaches," Sumargono said.

The Bosnian Serbs have taken over the UN "safe area" of Srebrenica and are now moving into Zepa, one of the last towns still under Bosnian control. Thousands of Moslem civilians were forced to evacuate the Srebrenica enclave last week in the largest single expulsion of the Bosnian war.

KISDI sent its statement of concern to the government, the Indonesian Council of Ulemas, and leaders of a number of Islamic states. It made 15,000 copies of the statement and distributed them to mosques and other Moslem organizations. (swe)