23 February 2004

winning the war on terror?

with statements like this from Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.... ?

Megawati brands West 'unjust' Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri has attacked the West for "exceptional injustice" against Muslims. During a speech to open an Islamic conference in Jakarta, she cited as examples the US invasion of Iraq and the French plan to ban headscarves. The meeting has brought together 300 international delegates to try and ease dialogue between Islam and the West. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation, with 80% of its 210 million population identifying themselves as following Islam. "An exceptional injustice is apparent in the attitude and actions of big countries toward countries whose majority populations are Muslims," Megawati said. She called the invasion of Iraq "an act of violence undertaken unilaterally", and said that the French plan for a law to ban schoolgirls wearing headscarves was "injustice in a far smaller feature." The conference was organised by the 40 million strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the world's largest Muslim organisation. Megawati has been seeking the NU's support for her campaign to seek re-election in 2004.

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