RI to lose 3 million jobs if ties with U.S. are cut

RI to lose 3 million jobs if ties with U.S. are cut

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia stands to lose three million jobs if it decides to
sever diplomatic ties with the United States, Minister of
Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said in Batam, Riau on
Wednesday.

"Where will we channel those three million laborers who get
laid off if Indonesia cuts its diplomatic ties with the United
States," Jacob asked.

It was not clear where the minister found the figure, but many
local offices of foreign enterprises, especially those related to
U.S. investors, have decided to scale down their activities due
to strong anti-U.S. rallies following the U.S.-led attacks on
Afghanistan.

Jacob called on Indonesians sympathizing with Afghanistan to
maintain the country's good relations with the United States.

"I cannot accept the fact that a country attacks another
country, but we have to look at the situation of our own country,
which has slipped deeper into the economic crisis," he said.

Deputy chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (Kadin) Iman Taufik shared Jacob's opinion, saying that
severing diplomatic ties with the United States would further
weaken the country's economy since the U.S. and its allies
control the global economy.

"We should be very careful when taking a stance on the U.S.
attacks on Afghanistan since the recovery of our economy still
depends on the U.S. and its allies," Iman told Antara news
agency.

Iman was reacting to calls made by the Indonesian Council of
Ulemas (MUI) and 40 Muslim-based non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) to freeze diplomatic ties with the U.S. for attacking
Afghanistan.

Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Alwi Shihab
said although Indonesia could not accept the U.S. decision to
attack Afghanistan, the attacks did not justify cutting ties with
the United States.

"We should not get carried away with our emotions because
severing diplomatic ties (with the United States) would
disadvantage Indonesian people," said Alwi after opening a
meeting of PKB's West Nusa Tenggara branch in Mataram on
Wednesday.

Alwi said that no Islamic country had decided to cut off its
diplomatic ties with the United States.

"That is because they (Muslim countries) are seriously
thinking of the long-term impact," he said.

Iman said Indonesia depends on the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) to revive its economy, while the IMF is financed mostly by
the U.S. and its allies in the Group of Seven developed
countries.

The G-7, which consists of the U.S., Japan, Britain, France,
Italy, Canada and Germany, controls 73 percent of the world's
trade and services.

"It is impossible for Indonesia to sever ties with the United
States because it would only make the people suffer," Iman said.

"Unless we all want to suffer for the sake of democracy, but
if that happens, there will be a lot of capital flight," he
continued.

He said daily anti-U.S. rallies staged by militant groups had
greatly reduced the number of foreign tourists in Indonesia,
resulting in a sharp drop in the hotel occupancy rate.

Alwi, who is also the former foreign affairs minister, said
Indonesia and the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) could
help resolve the Afghan crisis by asking the U.S. to stop its
assault and the ruling Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden, who
is suspected of being the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks
on New York and the Pentagon, to a third country.

"After that, an international tribunal could be set up to
arraign Osama bin Laden with judges coming from neutral
countries," he said.

He also appealed to the public at large, especially members of
the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), not to hastily decide to go to
Afghanistan for a jihad or to engage in violent anti-U.S.
protests in Indonesia.

"They (NU members) may hold protests, but there must be no
violence. They have to channel their aspirations elegantly," Alwi
said.