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)