NU chief to visit southern Thailand

NU chief to visit southern Thailand

Novan Iman Santosa, Asia News Network/Bangkok

Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim
organization, is scheduled to visit Thailand to help the country
handle its troubled, mainly Muslim southern provinces, Indonesian
Ambassador to Bangkok Ibrahim Yusuf said on Tuesday.

"We should promote the more moderate faces of Islam. That's
why we are inviting Pak Hasyim to visit Thailand, sponsored by
the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Ibrahim said.

"He will visit the southern provinces to talk with local
leaders there during his stay here on March 27 to April 1."

The Thailand government has been widely criticized, especially
by Islamic nations, about its iron-fist approach in handling
violence in the three predominantly Muslim provinces of
Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

Dissatisfaction with the central government's way of dealing
with the provinces in addition to historical and sociocultural
differences caused the violence in southern Thailand.

"I believe Thailand first needs to know and understand more
about Islam to deal with its southern provinces," said Ibrahim.
Ibrahim, who submitted his credentials to King Bhumibol Adulyadej
on March 7.

Ibrahim said the Indonesian Embassy would organize a one-day
seminar on April 4 to celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations
between the two countries.

"The seminar will review the diplomatic relations and what
lies ahead," he said.

"I am inviting former minister of foreign affairs Ali Alatas
to give the keynote speech."

Alatas is currently touring the African continent to extend
the Indonesian government's invitation to attend the Asian-
African Summit on April 22 and April 23 in Jakarta as well as the
golden jubilee celebrations of the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in
Bandung, West Java, on April 24.