RI to send peace mission to Canberra, EU

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Amid the mounting tension between the United States and Iraq, Indonesian religious leaders and national figures have agreed to make a series of foreign trips to Australia and Europe, including the Vatican, to campaign for world peace and to seek support for the increasing opposition to the United States' planned attack on Iraq.

Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nadhlatul Ulama, will lead an Indonesian delegation to Australia from Feb. 9 through to Feb. 17. and Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid will lead a similar mission to Europe from Feb. 17 to Feb. 25.

Speaking at a joint press conference here on Wednesday, the religious leaders and national figures also insisted that the tension had nothing to do with religious matters but was triggered by their own conflicting interests.

Hasyim said he and his group would meet with the relevant authorities in Canberra and NGOs to convey Indonesia's opposition to the war.

Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, chairman of the Indonesian Bishop's Conference (KWI), said the foreign peace mission was aimed at showing the world that Indonesia is fighting for a world of peace and opposes the U.S.' planned attack on Iraq.

"Since the beginning, Pope John Paul has disagreed with the planned attack on Iraq and so have we because war is against humanity and morality.

"And our trip to these countries should not be seen merely as our concern for world peace, but it will be the Asian people's voice against the war," he said.

Also present at the press conference held at Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) headquarters in Central Jakarta were Nurcholish, A.A. Yewangoe representing the Communion of Indonesian Churches (PGI) and national figure Roeslan Abdulgani and Hasyim Muzadi. Muhammadyah chairman Ahmad Sjafii Maarif was absent due to an internal meeting of the organization.

Following a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President George W. Bush gave weeks, instead on months, to President Saddam Hussein to prove that the latter had no weapons of mass destruction and was not linked to the Osama bin Laden-led terrorist network al-Qaeda.

Indonesia has opposed any attack on Iraq without UN approval. It is also prepared to face the worst at home as a result of the Iraq attack.

Mgr. Julius would lead a delegation to meet with Pope John Paul II.

Nurcholish said he and his group would visit the European Parliament in Brussels to convey Indonesia's stance on the conflict.

"We will speak to the European Union about the possible impact of the U.S. attack on world peace and stability. The European Union should constitute a new power to balance U.S.' as superpower," he said.