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Jihadists the last thing Gaza needs: Minister
Tony Hotland and Abdul Khalik , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 01/07/2009 7:32 AM | Headlines
The government maintained Tuesday its stance of refusing to send Indonesian troops to the Gaza Strip despite mounting pressure from some Islamic groups to dispatch jihadists to the besieged Middle Eastern spot.
The Foreign Ministry said sending jihadists to Gaza to help Hamas fight Israel would not improve the situation, adding there were much more effective avenues Indonesia could take to help diffuse the situation.
A number of Islamic hardline groups, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), have said they wish to send volunteers to Gaza under the banner of jihad and have called on the government to support them.
“Is conducting a jihad effective? We must ask Gaza if that’s what they need, and most probably they (don’t). There are other more effective ways to help ... So far, sending jihadists isn’t an option,” Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said.
AFP reported Tuesday that the 11-day-old Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip had claimed the lives of at least 635 Palestinians and wounded 2,900 more.
The toll shot up Tuesday when Israeli fire hit three schools, killing at least 45 people.
Speaking in his annual statement to the press, Hassan said what Gaza needed most was medicine and medical assistance.
“We are looking at the possibility of sending medical workers to field hospitals in the Egypt area of Sinai, which borders with Gaza. We’re awaiting clearance from Egypt, and the President has instructed the health minister to collect volunteers,” Hassan said.
Despite agreeing that the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip had nothing to do with religion, Islamic groups in Jakarta have hyped up the conflict between the two religious groups, paving the way for the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and other Islamic groups to seize the momentum ahead of the April elections.
Observers on Tuesday criticized nationalist parties for not shouting down calls by Islam groups to send volunteers to the war, which was defined by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday as a clash over the sovereignty of territory between Palestine and Israel, and not a religious matter.
“The nationalist groups should be more active in voicing their stance as Indonesia’s voice will be much more strong if the (the world) considers it to represent a pluralist Indonesia rather than only Islam,” University of Indonesia international relations expert Hariyadi Wirawan said.
He said a pluralist Indonesia would attract more sympathy from major non-Muslim countries, such as members of the European Union (EU), as well as powerful human rights groups world wide that see the attacks as a territory dispute and a human rights tragedy rather than an attack against Islam.
PKS, the FPI and HTI seized the spotlight immediately after Israeli began the attacks when the groups gathered thousands of supporters in Jakarta and other big cities in the country to rally against Israel and the US.
Other political parties and nationalist groups did not take part in the rallies, and media coverage has refused to voice their stance on the conflict.
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Rapha200 — Thu, 01/08/2009 - 2:49pm
the true is that nobody cares about what happens over there, look at the reactions of all muslims country.
immediate neighbors:
egypt: prefer to be in peace with israel
jordania: the same
hezbolla: still did not attack israel because prefer to become the political party in Lebanon and/or wait for the green start of Iran that does not seem in hurry to give it.
syria: seems to be more interested by a peace with israel these last years than by a war. we remember indirect discussions through Turkey.
and the other muslim countries.
few officials declaration going in the same way as their public opinion and what? nothing no action only words; the most active countries to stop the war are Europe and Egypt.
nobody really cares about what happens over there.
Mark L. (not verified) — Thu, 01/08/2009 - 12:01pm
King, pls put your passion instead to help your fellow singaporeans. We live under a very repressive regime here. We may be richer than our neighbors but things have been tough lately with jobs and rising prices. We don't dare criticize our government or we risk being jailed or fined to the last penny of our savings. Instead of helping others, let's bring freedom to our own Singapore.
Morgan (not verified) — Thu, 01/08/2009 - 2:40am
As long as Indonesia can maintain a reasonable stance like this (to refuse being dragged down to the level of middle east Jihadist's) it will continue to progress.
Going down that road only leads to unimaginable misery and violence for the people of Indonesia who are the only ones practicing this "religion of peace" as it should be...peacefully.
Iain — Fri, 01/09/2009 - 1:32am
What makes you claim Islam to be the "religion of peace"?
Des Pegler (not verified) — Wed, 01/07/2009 - 8:31pm
Indonesia does not recognize Israel. Therefore, Indonesia can have no say or influence in the matter.
As the largest muslim population, I would hope that Indonesia could take an active part in negotiations for peace in the Middle East. First, they have to recognize Israel.
Wim Bruneel (not verified) — Wed, 01/07/2009 - 7:35pm
The Indonesian government should take immediate action against those hard-line Islamists and Jihadis. Because of groups like this Indonesia won't be taken serious as a plural and democratic republic by the international community. And of course actions by those people will only worsen the whole conflict in the Middle East. They use this conflict for electoral purposes and at the end the Palestinian people will be the victims of political games in Indonesia.
Berny (not verified) — Wed, 01/07/2009 - 7:06pm
I wonder what those other effective avenues are? Every avenue has been tried in this area. Under occupation, any avenue will be short lived.
Firstly, what are the governments and their paid armies doing? The people are fooling themselves by volunteering themselves who are as helpless as the people of gaza, instead of pressuring the governments to do something concrete. On this matter these governments have a history of not doing anything except the most risk-free course of action or act in favour of the powerful. All in the name of good manners and diplomacy.
Secondly, the lives of people should not be made dependent on sympathy of others as Hariyadi is suggesting. It is a convoluted argument to justify why nationalist parties should quell voice of those who call for action, whether they are islamic or non-islamic.
If someone attacks a minority group or a citizen, what would make a leader to be concerned?
Answer: Only if it affects their interests.
Who cares about people? The same criteria is applied to the people of gaza. Tell me this is not true. So if anyone badmouths almost any leader of almost any country in the world, it is not unjustified. The current systems breed leaders, who, even if personally good, are forced to play according to interests.
This leads groups to influence and affect the interests leaders and their parties, which powerful lobby group and western governments do very well in muslim countries. Some of them from minority groups as well. This is a very unstable situation, because things can turn against minority or majority groups, just by affecting the interests of the leaders. People calling for plurality in a superficial way, as if they are supporting minorities are helping to perpetuate a system which is unstable. Stability is the need of the hour, and it cannot be guaranteed in the current systems which are inherently fragile.
No wonder the islamic groups are getting more and more popular in calling for alternatives. The best way to shout down their calls, is to make the current system work. The islamic groups are basing their calls on their faith and historical success in harmoniously governing various races and religious. This is precisely the challenge, the current systems around the world has simply not demonstrated its worth. Trying to prove that their historical account is not correct is a defeated way of doing things. Can this system ever be made to work, or are some group people in the world always doomed to live miserable lives?
Iain — Wed, 01/07/2009 - 6:17pm
Since when has the Palestinian leadership worked with Israel?
Dan (not verified) — Wed, 01/07/2009 - 6:14pm
FPI and Hizbut Thahir have my blessings. Go, and throw your seeds in the land where only wounds and blood and finally hundreds of virgins will satisfy you and that way this City can finally take a deep breath and say : good riddance!
Ahmed yousuf (not verified) — Wed, 01/07/2009 - 4:55pm
The problem is not the Zionist, it's the American who gave the green light to attack. And if any nation says something they threaten them. Israel is the dog and the Americans are the master grooming the dog. As long as they have veto power and Arab worlds have none no one will say anything. Arabs need to get their heads out of them and get some kind of a veto power at the UN. Then is when they can make their demands. Anyways Bush has the lowest approval rate and doesn't care if he is the worst president, his goal was to get revenge for his dad older bush who fought against Sadam (god bless his soul).