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| Southeast Asia |
| Pressure mounts on Indonesian president to speak out against US |
| 2003-02-03 |
| Jakarta Post Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri appears to be wavering on whether to condemn a possible attack by the United States on Iraq as calls mount for her to speak out publicly against an attack. Analyst Ikrar Nusa Bhakti urged Megawati on Sunday to be more assertive in addressing the Iraqi issue in order to avoid the misperception that Indonesia supports the U.S. and its allies over Iraq. "It is true that we are dependent on the U.S. for many things, but that should not keep the President from being more assertive in addressing the issue," Ikrar told The Jakarta Post. "Voicing an anti-war opinion is a positive thing and in accordance with our Constitution, regardless of any possible ire from Washington." "Of course it's a wringer, madame. But as president of Indonesia, it's your obligation to put your bosom in it." Ikrar's comments came after noted religious leaders told the government over the weekend to make clear its stance on the Iraqi issue. During a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda last Friday, the religious leader said Megawati had to make known her position on a possible U.S. attack on Iraq. As long as it's the same as theirs, anyway... "The minister admitted that the President had never officially addressed the issue, which could be misunderstood as being indecisive," Muslim leader Solahuddin Wahid told the Post on Sunday. Mega is either timid, which could be the case, or smart enough to realize that the U.S. is going to win on Iraq, one way or the other. The Islamists in Indonesia are determined to blindly follow the Arab lead, regardless of the fact that they're going to get tromped. It's the same bunch who were determined, up until October, that there was no terrorist danger to Indonesia, which just goes to show that there's no such thing as "disgraced" in politix. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |