Megawati denounces U.S. strikes

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, OCT. 15. The American projection of an ``all- encompassing'' war against terrorism is beginning to go awry. Moderate leaders like the Indonesian President, Ms. Megawati Sukarnoputri, are beginning to criticise the United States for the ``unilateral'' action against Afghanistan.

Speaking at a mosque in Jakarta on Sunday night, Ms. Megawati, who chose not to name any country, made it clear that she did not back the American military strikes against Afghanistan. ``Whoever commits terror must be punished. However, the search for and the bringing to justice of perpetrators of terror or those parties who harbour them must be in accordance with law that is generally acceptable,'' the President said.

``It is unacceptable that someone, a group or even a Government - reasoning that they are searching for perpetrators - attack a people or another country for whatever reason,'' Ms. Megawati was quoted as saying. ``Blood cannot be cleansed with blood,'' the Indonesian President, who only recently had a meeting with the U.S. President, Mr. George Bush, in Washington, said.

At the gathering where her Vice-President, Mr. Hamzah Haz, was also present, the Indonesian leader said, ``We cannot imagine that other groups or nations can make their own measurements and rules to decide who is right or wrong and then attack other parties.'' The President's remarks, which may well be triggered by domestic political compulsions, come after Mr. Hamzah openly called for a halt to military strikes against Afghanistan.

Earlier, Indonesia had said it was concerned about the military strikes and that the U.S should limit them. The current remarks of the President, however, show that Jakarta does not support the military action. The President's remarks amount to a vote of no- confidence against the American approach toward dealing with ``terrorism'' and Afghanistan. The Vice-President, who is seen as a hardliner, had demanded an end to the American military strikes even before the President had spoken.

``If the military strikes are not stopped, many more Afghans will fall victim,'' Mr. Hamzah, who heads the United Development Party (PPP), told his party's national conference on Saturday. ``As part of the nation, we in PPP must support the campaign against terrorism, but we are opposed to attacks on Afghanistan,'' Mr. Hamzah was quoted as saying by Jakarta Post.

Insisting that the Indonesian stand be ``firmer'' than the position taken by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), the Vice-President also demanded that the U.S. should produce convincing evidence linking Osama bin Laden with the September 11 terrorist attacks. Interestingly, Mr. Hamzah said he would not forbid anyone from holding anti-American protests, which have been a recurring feature on the Indonesian streets in recent days.

``Please go ahead and voice your aspirations...I wouldn't prohibit demonstrations as long as the law is not breached,'' the Indonesian Vice-President stated. While Indonesia wants to be in the good books of the U.S. and the West, internal politics would seem to dictate that Ms. Megawati cannot remain quiet as the U.S. continues its relentless bombing of Afghanistan.

Hardline Islamist leaders, who played a major role in her becoming President, seem to be mounting pressure on Ms. Megawati through their public statements on the U.S.-led terrorist strikes. It is an open secret that at least one of the hardline leaders has ambitions to become President. The hardline leaders, it would appear, could have forced the President to distance herself from the moderate position taken by her Government on the strikes.

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