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Indonesian Muslims Say no Troops for U.N. Afghan Mission
By Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA, Nov. 16 (IslamOnline) - The fall of Kabul to pro-U.S. Afghan troops has not deterred hard-line Muslim groups in Jakarta from insisting that the Indonesian government not commit troops to the United Nation's proposed peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
The government on Wednesday said it was awaiting a formal request from the U.N. to deploy troops as part of its probable peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan, as moderate Muslim leaders here approved the country's planned participation.
"We will take part in the [probable] U.N. mission if requested," Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said. "As long as it is under the umbrella of the U.N., Indonesia will meet a request to send peacekeeping troops because Indonesia is a member of the world body."
The leader of the most vociferous group the Islamic United Front (FPI) said committing troops to the U.N.'s peacekeeping efforts would equal to accepting the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan.
"Indonesia must protest to the U.N. why the latter is helping the U.S. to eliminate the Taliban regime in Afghanistan," Habib Rizieq Shihab said in Jakarta.
He added that Indonesia must leave the U.N. in protest to the political developments in Kabul.
"There is no reason for Indonesia to help the U.N. and turn our country into a U.S. valet," the angry leader said. He argued that Indonesia as an independent country, should not bow down to any other nations.
Rizieq said President Megawati Sukarnoputri must follow her father's policies. "Bung [brother] Sukarno was brave to pull Indonesia out of the U.N. in his time."
Nevertheless, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil confirmed that Jakarta was ready to participate in the likely multinational peacekeeping force. "We are still waiting for a formal request from the U.N.," he said.
Wahid Supriyadi, acting spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Indonesia would accept a possible U.N. request to participate in the peacekeeping mission.
"If the U.N. decides to send international peacekeepers to Afghanistan, we will respond to it positively. And we are ready to join," he told
The Jakarta Post.
Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief of General Affairs Lieutenant General Djamari Chaniago said his office had not yet received a formal request to join such a mission.
TNI spokesman Air Vice Marshall Graito Usodo said the military would prepare troops and other necessary aspects, if such a request is made.
"We will carry out this mission under the U.N. umbrella," said Usodo. "The most credible party will be the U.N." He added sternly that the decision to deploy troops to Afghanistan depends on the government.
Indonesia previously sent forces to several U.N. peacekeeping missions, including the Suez Canal and the Congo more than 40 years ago.
More recently, thousands of troops were also sent to hotspots such as Cambodia and Bosnia in the 1990s. Jakarta has described the peacekeeping deployments as a "successful" contribution in restoring peace and security across the world.
Indonesia has condemned the deadly September 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon, and backed the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism. But at the same time Jakarta also opposes the U.S. bombing of the Taliban.
Previous peacekeeping troops sent by Indonesia under the U.N.'s umbrella are as follows (Destination, Year):
1. Suez Canal, 1957;
2. Congo, 1960-1964;
3. Vietnam, 1973-1974;
4. Arab countries-Israel, 1973-1979;
5. Namibia, 1989-1990;
6. Cambodia, 1992-1994;
7. Somalia, 1992-1995;
8. Bosnia, 1993-1999;
9. Mozambique, 1994;
10. The Philippines, 1994-1997
Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation, with a population of 212 million, 85% of whom are Muslim.
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