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NU appreciates cancellation of president's Netherlands visit

NU Online  ·  Rabu, 6 Oktober 2010 | 13:03 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
Chairman of lawmaking "Syuriyah" body of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Hasyim Muzadi said that the cancellation of president Yudhoyono's visit to the Netherlands was a right decision following the existence of so-called as RMS (South Maluku Republic) separatists in the country.

"The cancellation of SBY's visit to the Netherlands related to the RMS separatists in the Netherlands is already correct," former general chairman of PBNU said here on Wednesday. />
Meanwhile, the non-governmental organisation (NG) Perhimpunan Kebangsaan said that the President`s cancellation of his scheduled visit to the Netherlands on Wednesday was the right decision in preserving the head of state`s dignity in the eyes of the world.

"We supported the President`s decision of cancelling his visit to the Netherlands,`` Head of the Perhimpunan Kebangsaan NGO John Veto Yuna said in Tanjung Balai, Karimun regency, Riau Islands province, on Wednesday.

"We do not wish the head of state, as a symbol of the state, to be embarrassed in the eyes of the international world," he said.

He also said that as part of the national component, the people in the regions did not wish their head of state subjected to a demonstration by a group of RMS (South Maluku Republic) separatists in another country, especially if the President had been arrested during the state visit, we would have lost our respect as a great nation.

He also said that the Dutch should avoid responding to the pressures of the separatist group which could endanger relations with Indonesia.

"We already have enough to have been oppressed for centuries, and we should avoid being re-dictated in solving domestic affairs," he said.

He said national sovereignty is non-negotiable, and therefore the head of state needs to be very wise in responding to the separatist movements in other countries.

"We fully supported the cancellation of the visit indefinitely, until the Dutch government has acted firmly against the RMS separatist movement," he added. (dar)