RI, Yemen agree to fight extremism
RI, Yemen agree to fight extremism
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
In a move to prevent the spread of radicalism, Indonesia and
Yemen have agreed to deny entry of Indonesians intending to study
at universities unaccredited or unrecommended by the government
of the Middle East country.
However, the two governments will initiate an exchange of
students for graduate and post-graduate programs under
scholarship schemes at selected state universities.
Deputy Director of Middle East Affairs at the Indonesian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andhika Bambang Supeno said the
agreement would be part of a memorandum of understanding to be
signed at the conclusion of the first joint ministerial
commission here on Wednesday.
"In the case of Indonesian students wanting to study in Yemen
through a private line, we basically will apply the existing
standard of procedures," Andhika said without elaborating.
An Indonesian official said earlier that the government had
asked students studying at Yemeni universities and Islamic
schools suspected of sowing radicalism to move to other
universities there or return home, otherwise the government would
revoke their passports.
The Yemeni government has also sent home a number of
Indonesians studying at particular Islamic schools there because
of the same fear. Most of them, however, were those studying
through private placement.
Andhika said that for the initial year, Indonesia would
provide scholarships for Yemeni nationals to pursue master's or
doctoral degrees in economic and social fields at selected state
universities here.
"We are offering 30 scholarships a year under the South-South
Cooperation scheme. The scholarships for Yemeni students will
probably be provided through this scheme," said Andhika, who is
part of the Indonesian delegation to the bilateral talks.
He said the Yemeni delegation had initially asked Indonesia to
provide scholarships at medical and pharmaceutical schools.
Indonesia was presently unable to honor the request due to
financial constraints, said Andhika.
In return, Yemen will offer Indonesians scholarships to study
social sciences in the Middle East country.
To realize the agreement, Andhika said third parties,
including international donors and institutions, would also be
invited to provide the funds needed to cover the scholarships.
Both Indonesia and Yemen are members of the Organization of
Islamic Conference.
The joint commission meeting, which opened on Monday, is aimed
at improving bilateral ties between the two Muslim countries.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda and his
Yemeni counterpart Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi are scheduled to close the
meeting with a joint communique on Wednesday.
They will also witness the signing of six memorandums of
understanding on news exchange between Indonesian news agency
Antara and official Yemeni news agency Saba, cooperation between
Indonesia's National Agency for Export Development and Yemen
Export Supreme Court, free zone cooperation between the Batam
Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) and the Aden Free Zone of
Yemen, health cooperation, human rights cooperation and
agricultural cooperation.