Widespread Calls for Indonesia to Withdraw from the BoP
Calls for Indonesia to withdraw its membership from the Board of Peace (BoP) have grown louder following air strikes by the United States and its allies, including Israel, on Iran over the weekend. The military operation resulted in the deaths of a number of prominent figures in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khosseini Khamenei. The United States is the initiator of the BoP.
The incident sparked sharp public criticism in Indonesia. From the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Civil Society Coalition, universities, to students, there were calls for President Prabowo Subianto to withdraw Indonesia’s status as a member of the BoP.
UI Alliance Students University of Indonesia
Through a letter delivered to the Office of the State Secretariat, the Alliance of Students of Universitas Indonesia urged President Prabowo Subianto to withdraw Indonesia from BoP membership.
Representing the Alliance, Fathimah Azzahra, said the letter was a final warning to Prabowo to fulfil his pledge. In early February, Prabowo stated that Indonesia would withdraw from BoP if the goals were not aligned with Palestinian independence.
“We are giving the President and his team an ultimatum to meet this demand within a 3x24-hour window before the people’s wrath descends,” said Fathimah in a written statement on Thursday, 5 March 2026.
MUI
Through the Tausiyah of the Indonesian Ulema Council in a letter numbered Kep-28/DP-MUI/III/2026, MUI urged the government to revoke membership from BoP.
The reason is that the forum led by US President Donald Trump is deemed ineffective in realising true independence for Palestine. This assessment is reinforced by Trump’s stance in carrying out attacks with Israel on Iranian territory.
Chair of MUI Foreign Relations Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim said the attack was concrete proof that US President Donald Trump is, in fact, a destroyer of peace.
“Therefore, BoP is increasingly losing moral, political and even legal legitimacy because it has proven useless in creating true peace and even justice,” Sudarnoto said in a written statement, Sunday, 1 March 2026.
UII
Rector of Universitas Islam Indonesia Fathul Wahid said that, as a higher education institution upholding Islamic values, Indonesiaanness, and universal humanitarianism, UII needs to carry out its moral and constitutional responsibilities to uphold a civilised and humanitarian state.
“UII calls on the government to withdraw from the Board of Peace (BoP),” said Fathul in a written statement, Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
Indonesia’s involvement in BoP, he added, could contravene constitutional mandates and diminish the principle of an independent and active foreign policy.
Participation in the BoP forum also risks undermining Indonesia’s consistency in supporting the Palestinian independence struggle.
“The US-Israel military attack on Iran violates the principle of state sovereignty under international law and is inconsistent with constitutional commitments,” said Fathul.
Alumni Forum of Komnas HAM Commissioners
Calls for leaving BoP were also made by the Alumni Forum of Commissioners of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). They argued that the military operation launched by the US with its ally Israel on Iran worsens BoP’s legitimacy crisis.
“Moral credibility of BoP’s initiator becomes very weak when it commits international law violations and triggers war,” said the Alumni Forum of Komnas HAM spokesman, Ridha Saleh, in a written statement on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
With these considerations, he continued, Indonesia should immediately withdraw from BoP membership. Moreover, since Indonesia first decided to join, that decision did not involve the DPR, potentially contravening the constitution.
Indeed, the forum also reminded that BoP’s structure that excludes Palestine from the Gaza reconstruction agenda is counterproductive to Indonesia’s foreign policy mandate to end colonialism in the world.
“Indonesia’s joining would only burden the state finances,” Ridha said.
The forum warned that the government’s stance in BoP would pull Indonesia into war crimes in Gaza, and sustain a policy of domination or imperialism.
Civil Society Coalition
Imparsial Director Ardi Manto said the civil society coalition, comprising 79 members, believes Indonesia’s involvement in BoP should be discussed openly with the DPR and the public, not decided behind closed doors.
“It should not be decided in secret,” Ardi said during a public petition reading on Sunday, 1 March 2026, in response to RI-US trade deals and Indonesia’s involvement in BoP online.
They argued that BoP is not aligned with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, particularly regarding a mandate to resolve the Palestinian issue.
The coalition criticised BoP’s structure and mechanism as not being under the control of the UN Security Council, but instead dominated by certain political interests.
“We believe Indonesia needs to reevaluate its involvement in BoP because it could entangle Indonesia in a global political configuration that does not align with the principles of an independent and active foreign policy,” he said.
Government Response
Foreign Minister Sugiono said BoP discussions are temporarily halted due to the escalating tensions in the Gulf region. Sugiono spoke in response to calls for Indonesia to exit BoP.
“BoP talks are on hold for now, yes. All attention has shifted to the situation in Iran,” Sugiono told reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday night, 3 March 2026.
The decision to join BoP was made by President Prabowo Subianto during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, on Thursday, 22 January.
In the presence of US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Hu…