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.