MUI Deputy Chairman Calls on Indonesia to Withdraw from the Board of Peace — What Are the Reasons?

Jakarta — The Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), KH Muhammad Cholil Nafis, has urged Indonesia to withdraw from the Board of Peace (BoP) or the Dewan Perdamaian. He argues that the Board of Peace has been ineffective in fostering peace. “I think the matter of the Board of Peace is the same; we are asking, this is not effective, so just withdraw,” Cholil told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex in Central Jakarta on Thursday, 5 March 2026. According to Cholil, the Board of Peace is ineffective because it has failed to ease tensions and even failed to present a track record that favours peace, referring to the conflict between the United States (US) and Iran. Moreover, the US, as the initiator of the Board of Peace, reportedly launched further attacks and has not demonstrated a pattern of peace. “So we see it as ineffective at the BoP because the initiators themselves do not provide a semblance of a good track record or a current stance that favours peace,” he said. He further hopes Indonesia can play a more active role in creating peace amid the US–Iran conflict in line with its principled stance of an independent and active foreign policy. “We must ensure that this war does not burden civilian populations. We also hope this can foster peace by maximising the roles of the UN and OKI, because everyone will suffer if this war continues,” Cholil concluded.