Indonesia Must Be Resolute in Facing Allied Aggression Against Libya

The Secretary General of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS), KH Hasyim Muzadi, stated that Indonesia must act more assertively in relation to the aggression of the [U.S.] allies toward Libya because their actions are actually not purely for the creation of peace.

“Indonesia must be assertive in opposing foreign aggression that gets involved in every conflict. Even more so if that conflict was designed by foreigners,” said Hasyim in Jakarta, on Sunday [April 3].

According to Hasyim, Indonesia needs to pay more attention to Libya because foreign parties can do the same to Indonesia. “They can trigger a conflict and then stage an intervention or invasion based on ‘humanitarianism,’” said the former Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board (PBNU).

Nevertheless, he said, Indonesia should also continue to push Middle Eastern countries to establish economic and political democracy so there is no lifelong authority [for one person].

Regarding the involvement of various Arab nations that are helping the allies’ attack on Libya, according to Hasyim, this matter is not free from the issue of oil. He stated that oil-producing Arab countries are very fortunate that there is a crisis in Libya because the price of oil rose from $80 to $110 per barrel.

“Just calculate it. If Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, produces 9 million barrels a day, that means it can earn $270 million a day. What if you calculate it for one month?”

Oil Grab

Likewise, Qatar can produce 2 million barrels of oil a day; Bahrain and Kuwait can each produce 2 to 3 million barrels a day.

“Obviously they received a sudden fortune that is extraordinary,” said the caregiver for the Al Hikam Islamic boarding schools at Malang and Depok. On the other hand, Hasyim continued, countries that import oil, such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, are thus knocked down.

Regarding the behavior of the United States, who pulled its military armada from Libya’s no-fly zone, Hasyim stated that it offered more proof that the allies’ attack was more motivated by oil.

The U.S., said Hasyim, appears not to have any oil companies in Libya. The parties that have oil companies in Libya are the European countries like Britain, France and Spain.

“So America cannot continuously operate in Libya except to show ‘Western solidarity.’ Also Obama, who always drums up a soft policy toward the world of Islam, could suffer from this politically, including his name as a winner of the Nobel prize,” he said.