Religious leaders support RI stand on abortion in Cairo

Religious leaders support RI stand on abortion in Cairo

JAKARTA (JP): The leaders of Indonesia's Moslem and Roman
Catholic communities threw their support behind the government's
fight against abortion as a means of population control
yesterday.

The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and the Bishops'
Conference of Indonesia (KWI) said in separate statements that
they wholly support the government's stance for the upcoming
international conference on population and development in Cairo
which kicks off on Monday.

The statements were sent to State Minister of Population
Haryono Suyono who will be leading the Indonesian delegation to
Cairo. Copies were made available to the press yesterday.

Haryono said Indonesia will be fighting against the inclusion
of abortion as a means of population control, something which a
number of Western countries are pushing onto the Cairo agenda.

A number of Moslem countries, notably Saudi Arabia, are
boycotting the UN conference. The Vatican, which is also opposing
the use of abortion to control population, has joined forces with
Moslem countries ahead of the Cairo meeting.

"We hope the minister can convey and fight for the aspirations
of the Islamic community in Indonesia at the conference," the MUI
statement said. "We hope that the Indonesian delegation will
reject the legalization of anything which goes against the norms
we have adopted."

The MUI statement, signed by chairman Hasan Basri and
Secretary General Prodjokusumo, welcomed the government's
reiteration that Indonesia will never legalize marriage between
people of the same sexes, something which will also be included
in the Cairo agenda.

The KWI also urged the Indonesian delegation in its statement
to use its influence at the Cairo meeting. It cited the fact that
many countries in the world respect Indonesia as a family
planning role model.

"Indonesia's voice will be heard," KWI said.

"We fully support and encourage the Indonesian delegation to
fight and pray that it will succeed," said the statement signed
by Monseigneur Julius Darmaatmadja, the head of the KWI
Presidium.

Haryono said yesterday that he had received telex messages
from five countries urging Indonesia not to withdraw from the
conference and fight for the cause in Cairo.

"Host Egypt has also asked Indonesia to attend although a
number of countries are withdrawing," he said. (emb)