RI calls on U.S., allies, to change mind on Iraq

RI calls on U.S., allies, to change mind on Iraq

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Amid rising tension in the Middle East, the Indonesian government
called on the United States and its allies to listen to the
global opposition to a war on Iraq as besides infringing Iraqi
sovereignty, an attack would bring untold suffering to the people
of that country.

At the same time, hundreds of people in Surabaya, East Java,
and Yogyakarta staged rallies to voice their opposition to a
possible war in Iraq.

Vice President Hamzah Haz said a military operation against
Iraq would certainly cause suffering not only to the Iraqi people
but also to millions of others in the region, and would solve no
problems.

"The suffering from a war in Iraq will go beyond Iraq's
border, and will affect the world economy. This is why we are
continuing to approach the U.S. government to urge it to change
its mind on Iraq," Hamzah said.

The tension has been mounting as U.S. President George W. Bush
gave Iraq another day to destroy its weapons of mass destruction
after Iraq went beyond the March 17 deadline.

Besides global antiwar protests, most countries, including
France, Germany and Russia, oppose a possible war to disarm Iraq,
saying the crisis should be solved peacefully.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono concurred with the Vice President's
view, saying that a war would certainly upset the world order.

After accompanying President Megawati Soekarnoputri when
receiving Iranian special envoy Ali Akbar Velayati, Susilo said
that the United Nations weapons inspection team should be given
more time to do its job.

"An attack by one nation on another sovereign nation will set
a bad precedent for international relations and will disrupt the
world order," the top security minister remarked.

The Iranian special envoy, Ali Akbar Velayati, said after the
meeting that his mission was not aimed at supporting the Iraqi
government but at avoiding a humanitarian tragedy in the
neighboring country.

"This is not a mission for the government of Iraq ... Iran and
Indonesia are against any kind of unilateralism in solving
international problems," Velayati remarked.

In Surabaya, some 100 community leaders issued an antiwar
statement urging the U.S. not to launch an attack on Iraq.

"A U.S. attack against Iraq will be an attack against the
sovereignty of another nation, and will violate the principles of
justice and humanity," the statement said.

After the statement was read out, the protesters handed in a
copy to the U.S. Consul General, Philip Antweiler, at the
consulate.

In Yogyakarta, hundreds of local students, as well as some
from abroad, staged a peaceful rally to condemn any attack on
Iraq.

Led by Muslim and Christian preachers, the protesters, many of
whom carried candles, prayed for world peace.

"War will only lead to human misery, losses and pain.
Thousands, even millions, of lives are being put at risk just to
serve the interests of a small number of persons. Thus, the U.S.
plan to attack Iraq has to be stopped, rejected, and fought
against," the protesters said in a statement.