Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The government must strongly ban the plan by a handful of people to commemorate Israel`s 63rd Independence Day in predominantly-Muslim Indonesia, a political observer said.

"The government must ban it because our political stand is very clear," Ahmad Taufan Damanik of North Sumatra University (USU) said on Saturday.

The preamble of the 1945 Constitution firmly stated that Indonesia rejected any form of aggression, he said.

"Our constitution firmly states that any form of aggression must be eliminated. And now there is a plan to commemorate the independence day of a colonial country in Indonesia. In this respect, our government must take firm stand by banning it," he said.

He said the plan to commemorate Israel`s independence would no doubt receive strong resistance from the Indonesia people. Moreover, many Jewish people themselves did not support their country`s independence.

He said he disagreed with a statement that the commemoration of Israel`s independence was part of human rights.

"Even many Israeli prominent figures and philosophers do not recognize their country`s independence. Why should we commemorate it on human rights ground which is out of its portion," he said.

He said Malaysia`s independence had never been commemorated in Indonesia. In fact, the neighboring country was a sovereign state and was not a colonial country, he said.

He asked the government not to issue a permit to the event`s organizer. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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