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Jokowi leads campaign to decouple Islam’s association with terrorism at Riyadh summit
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King Salman (second left) and President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo (center) walk under umbrellas during heavy rain at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, on March 1. (AP/Pool/Achmad Ibrahim)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at 9 p.m., local time, on Saturday to attend the Arab Islamic American summit, where a total of 55 leaders from Muslim-majority countries and United States President Donald Trump will gather on Sunday to produce new commitments to combat global terrorism.
During Sunday’s forum, Jokowi will talk for five minutes before dozens of leaders of Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabian King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud before flying back to Jakarta in the afternoon, where he will host King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, on Monday morning.
In his address, Jokowi will urge western countries, including the US, not to associate Islam with terrorism. Indonesia, as the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, hopes to decouple the image of Islam from terrorism to heal Islamophobia in the West.
“This Arab Islamic American summit is very important for Indonesia because it will discuss international efforts to combat radicalism and terrorism,” Jokowi said.
(Read also: Jokowi let down by Saudi Arabia’s low investment)
Jokowi will also discuss Indonesia’s successes in combating and preventing terror plots and in carrying out deradicalization programs for Indonesians suspected of engaging in radicalism.
“We will use this opportunity to talk about the importance of soft power in fighting against radicalism and terrorism,” Jokowi said.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, National Terrorism Agency head Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius and Foreign Deputy Minister AM Fachir will accompany Jokowi during the summit. (dmr)
