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| Southeast Asia |
| Western aid winning hearts |
| 2005-01-11 |
| THE spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiah says he is losing the battle for the hearts and minds of Aceh's tsunami survivors because of the humanitarian assistance from Australian and US military forces. A spokesman for Abu Bakar Bashir said the Indonesian cleric, who is on trial for terrorism, regarded the relief operations by Australian and US military personnel as a dangerous development, overshadowing the role of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI). "We are suspicious of the presence of foreign soldiers and their show of force and the minimum publicity given to assistance from Arab states," said Fauzan Al Anshari, a spokesman for Bashir's militant Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia group. "It's dangerous, this idea by Acehnese that US and Australian forces are their guardian angels - more popular than the TNI." Mr Anshari quoted Bashir as warning against any long-term hidden agenda in the deployment of Australian and US troops, saying he feared their presence in Aceh was like that of colonial invaders. "If they establish a permanent base there, it will lead to trouble," he said. Downplaying the mercy role of troops working to rebuild where more than a 100,000 people were lost when the tsunami struck on Boxing Day, Mr Anshari warned that they would promote prostitution and the consumption of alcohol in the devoutly Muslim region. John Howard announced last week a $1 billion, five-year program for relief and reconstruction in Aceh. More than 500 Australian troops are in Aceh, with another 400 due to arrive in Sumatra on HMAS Kanimbla tomorrow. They are part of a massive multinational force providing relief to the region engaged in a bloody separatist revolt, but both sides have attempted to maintain a ceasefire since the tsunami struck. Bashir's appearance in a South Jakarta court yesterday on charges of heading a terrorist organisation was greeted by shouts of "Allah Akbar (God is Great)" from scores of youthful supporters. Dressed more like members of an outlaw bikie gang, his supporters wore vests emblazoned with slogans such as "Taliban, Laskar, Mujaheddin and Brigade Al Ishlah", a reference to their allegiance with several home-grown militant Islamic groups. Mr Anshari also confirmed 19 Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) supporters had been ordered by Indonesian marines to leave their aid post at Banda Aceh's airport. The expulsion was ordered by Indonesian officials because their presence close to Australian and US troops was considered too provocative, "although we did nothing to provoke them", Mr Anshari said. He said TNI had apologised, and pointed out that MMI had another 200 volunteers in Aceh. MMI supporters were helping to provide aid and religious counselling to victims. In a related development, Indonesian Public Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab has ordered all foreign aid workers based in Aceh to register with the Government in order to carry on with their humanitarian relief work. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #8 Yeah, the last time I heard Soddy had only given 10 million out of all their billions that the royal family can personally claim. Meanwhile, states like the US which must donate the hard earned money of their citizens and are therefore much more cash strapped and also more accountable to those tax payers has still managed to legally and lawfully contribute at least 35 million and has donated the exclusive use of an entire carrier group at our own great expense. But no, the problem isn't that muslims are just stingy bastards, its that they haven't received the same attention. All too typical shifting of blame. Its the only way they can live with themselves and their beliefs when none of it leads to either greater success or greater morality and righteousness or a better life unless, that is, the muslim is fortunate enough to live in a society dominated by some other faith, ANY other faith. |
| Posted by: peggy 2005-01-11 4:14:54 PM |
| #7 Let's all break into a song...."Will you still love me tomorrow...." -- everybody now, a one and a two... |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-01-11 3:03:01 PM |
| #6 The question is: how long will it last? The Islamozoid clerics aren't going to let this take hold without a fight. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-01-11 2:42:40 PM |
| #5 Every heart or mind won is one more than there was before, and one less that reflexively hates what it doesn't know. And one more, in an area governed by Sharia, open to the seduction of Western ways of thought. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-01-11 2:07:10 PM |
| #4 In time for Valentine's Day? |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-01-11 2:04:10 PM |
| #3 "... and the minimum publicity given to assistance from Arab states, ..." Maybe that's because there's been minimum aid? |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2005-01-11 11:40:49 AM |
| #2 and the minimum publicity given to assistance from Arab states," I think the Islamists would be thankful for that. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-11 11:30:12 AM |
| #1 THE spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiah says he is losing the battle for the hearts and minds of Aceh’s tsunami survivors because of the humanitarian assistance from Australian and US military forces. The downer here is that the hearts and minds being won are ONLY the tsunami survivors. The idea that our help might be seen in a favorable light by the rest of the Muslim world is nothing more than wishful thinking. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-01-11 11:22:00 AM |