 |
|
Boyce (R) talks alongside Indonesian Islamic leaders
|
By
IOL Southeast Asia Correspondent
JAKARTA,
September 24 (IslamOnline) - In a clear attempt to gain the support of
the Indonesian government in its war against Iraq and its tacit
involvement in the Israelis attacks on the Palestinians, a high ranking
U.S. officer declared Tuesday, September 24, 2002, that Indonesian
Muslims were not terrorists.
The
sudden appreciation of the Muslims by the U.S. Ambassador for Indonesia
Ralph L. Boyce who said that Islam in Indonesia is moderate and
therefore Muslims in Indonesia are not terrorists, has taken many in
Jakarta by surprise.
In
the recent past Muslims were criticized for openly supporting Osama bin
Laden, whom the U.S. has declared as a terrorist and accused of the
September 11th attacks on the U.S..
U.S.
officials also criticized the Indonesian government for laxism in
failing to prevent daily street protests against U.S. attacks on
Afghanistan.
Boyce
concluded that Indonesian Muslims were not terrorists after meeting with
Indonesian Islamic figures at the Muhammadiyah organization central
board building in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Boyce
insisted though that there was an al-Qaeda network in Indonesia and some
other countries, an assertion that raised the anger of Indonesia’s
vice President Hamza Haz last week.
He
quickly added: “However, this network does not include Indonesians”.
This
statement again confused Indonesians who told IslamOnline that the U.S.
is “crazy” looking forward to catch Abu Bakar Basyir, a cleric who
runs a school in central Java.
Hambali,
another Indonesian who is allegedly linked to Al-Qaedah is also the
target of U.S. propaganda, an observer said.
According
to Boyce, the U.S. government has never considered Islamic radical
groups in Indonesia such as Laskar Jihad, Islamic Defenders Front (FPI)
and Indonesian Mujahiddin Council (MMI) of having relations with
international terrorist network.
Boyce
also stated that the CIA report as quoted by TIME Magazine did not come
as an official statement of the U.S. government.
On
the other hand, TEMPO Interactive reported that the Yogyakarta, Governor
Sultan Hamengku Buwono X has cancelled his plan to visit the U.S. in
retaliation to statements by U.S. Ambassador that the province was
unsafe for U.S. citizens.
“This
morning, the Sultan said he would not to go to the U.S.,” Tempo said,
reporting a statement by the Rector of Gadjah Mada University (UGM),
Prof. Dr. Sofian Effendi.
Effendi
said that the Sultan and his entourage were scheduled to fly to the U.S.
Saturday, September 28, to develop cooperation between Yogyakarta and
Indiana.
“We
do not want to go there and be considered as enemies,” he said
Tuesday.
