NU calls on Muslims not to reject Obama's visit

Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)  called on Muslims not to reject the Obama's planned visit to Indonesia  for considering that any effort to oppose the US president's visit is not  in line with ethics in Islam and international diplomacy.

"I hope there will be no Indonesian Muslims rejecting the Obama's  visit to Indonesia. In addition to being opposed to the Islamic ethics,  the rejection is also opposed to the ethics of international diplomacy,"  general chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU)  KH Hasyim Muzadi said here Monday.<>

Hasyim said that in Islam there were no codified rules for rejecting  guests moreover those are in the capacity of international diplomacy,  adding that Prophet Muhammad himself taught Muslims to build such  'diplomatic relations' with other religions including Jewish.

Hasyim further explained that Obama had apparently been  committed to improving the US ties with the Islamic world despite  having not yet met expected results so far.

The president of the World Conference of Religions for Peace also  critized any attempt carried out by the Indonesian goverment in  combating terrorism if such attempt is aimed at satisfiying the Obama's  administration, saying that the attempt should be based on the  national interests and humanity as well.

President Barack Obama is expected to arrive in Jakarta as rescheduled on March 23 and leave again on March 25, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said here Monday.

Speaking to the press after a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, Marty said not only was Obama`s deperture delayed, his wife, Michelle, and his two daughters Malia and Sasha, would also not be accompanying him on his visit to Indonesia.

"We had initially made preparations for the visit of the US president and his family, but as I said before, there has been a change in the orginal schedule, " the minister said.

"The cancellation of the inclusion of his family in Obama`s retinue had nothing to do with the terrorism issues, because we all know Indonesia has been quite successful in dismantling terrorist networks in the country," Marty said.

"We hope very much one day to be able to welcome President Obama with his entire family," he added.

On the detailed itinerary of Obama`s visit, the minister was unable to be speficic on Obama`s visit to Bali because things were still very much evolving.

But beside Jakarta, Obama would also be visiting other parts of Indonesia, including Bali. A more detailed program of Obama`s visits in the regions would be made known by the end of this week.

Obama`s visit to Indonesia would also involve the partcipation of a wide spectrum of elements of its civil society as a form of the US government`s trust in the guaranteed security of Indonesia.

Marty`s meeting with Campbell was to discuss the substance of the bilateral talks during Obama`s visit, including an agreement on science and technology, investment guarantees, people-to-people contacts, in the framework of a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (PCA).

"The significance of Obama`s visit is that it will be the beginning, not the conclusion of efforts to strengthen and improve Indonesia-United States relations," said Marty. (nam)