Jakarta (ANTARA News) -
The leader of Indonesias largest Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Hasyim Muzadi, here Monday asked the government to make a closer assessment of Australias behavior which, he said, had tended to favour separtism in Indonesia.
Speaking to the press after the launching a book written by NU figure Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Muzadi said the government should be firm toward Australia because Canberra`s behaviour had been to great extent benefitting separatists in the country.
He was commenting on the Australian governments decision to give visas to 42 Papuans seeking asylum in that country in spite of Indonesias objections.
“The government must weigh the indication (of benefiting separatists) to see the extent of the danger of the move,” he said.
He said the government must carefully study if the Australian decision was a mere official decision or if there was a form of intervention or support and assistance for separatism in the country.
If it was a mere formal decision there must be an explanation about it from the Australian government, he said.
Muzadi also said many Papuan separatists were currently living in Australia. Moreover, many senators and party figures in that country also wished to treat Papua like East Timor.
“This will be higher than a withdrawal. We will see if Australia would give any explanation or not. If it would not it would not be wrong to cut diplomatic relations with that country,” he said. (*)