Indonesia is expected to take the initiative to mediate the ongoing bloody conflict in Yemen between Houthi rebel fighters and forces loyal to the internationally recognized President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Resolving the relentless conflict in the Middle East through violence will only result in the killing of innocent citizens, and therefore Indonesia has been called on to be serious in mediating it.

Indonesia is expected to take the initiative to mediate the ongoing bloody conflict in Yemen between Houthi rebel fighters and forces loyal to the internationally recognized President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

"The Indonesian government should be able to convince the Saudi Arabian-led coalition state that the attacks on Yemen will only aggravate the situation in the Muslim world," according to Nahdlatul Ulama Central Executive Board (PBNU) Chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf.

In a press statement here on Tuesday, Slamet noted that Indonesia is subjectively interested in maintaining peace in the Middle East region.

It is because if the attack on Yemen, initiated by Saudi Arabia is not addressed, the aggression is feared to expand and complicate the conflicts in other Muslim countries.

According to Slamet, the Muslims have suffered major losses due to the conflict in terms of military, politics, social, and economy.

"Even Indonesia suffered major losses during the evacuation process of its citizens from conflict-torn countries such as Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and others," he noted.

Indonesian embassy has informed that some 17 of its nationals consisting of the embassy staff in Sanaa, evacuation team members from Jakarta, and other Indonesian citizens have so far been evacuated.

To date, the government has evacuated 1,981 Indonesian nationals from Yemen. Some of the evacuation team members from Jakarta are still camping in Yemen.

Slamet remarked that the PBNU will also commend Muslim countries in Southeast Asia that are willing to join in the efforts to reconcile the warring parties.

"Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam are peaceful Muslim countries that can do something for other war-torn Muslim countries," Slamet stated.

He further pointed out that Indonesia also suffered losses due to the bomb attack on its embassy in the capital city of Yemen, Sanaa, which injured several staffers and seriously damaged the building on Monday morning.

Speaking to the press at the Jakarta Convention Center here on Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi said Indonesia strongly condemned the bomb attack.

"I wish to express that Indonesia strongly condemns the bomb attack that occurred in Sanaa at 10.45 A.M. local time," the minister noted.

Retno stated that the bomb attack has left some of the Indonesian embassys staff injured and seriously damaged the embassy building, besides destroying the embassys cars that were parked at the spot.

The initial information received from Sanaa suggests that the attack was aimed at an ammunition depot located in the region, but roads around the embassy were also seriously damaged and casualties included many local civilians who lived around the area.

According to Retno, the Indonesian Government has reiterated that a peaceful solution through diplomacy and negotiation is the best way to settle issues.

The Indonesian Government has urged all parties to immediately stop violence.

Indonesia has also emphasized that truce be reached immediately so that civilians, including foreign nationals, can leave Yemen and humanitarian aid can reach the country.

The Indonesian Government has requested that all warring parties respect the international law and rules, especially those related to the protection of civilians, including relevant UN resolutions.

Indonesia is very concerned with the fighting in Yemen and stated that the problem should be solved through intercultural dialogue and peaceful resolution.

According to Vice President Jusuf Kalla, dialog can defuse the tensions in Yemen and keep the situation from escalating, because it can promote reconciliation and introduce moderate voices into polarized debates.

Kalla noted that peace process and dialog are essential approaches to addressing the conflict in Yemen, and encouraging the waring parties to agree on how to resolve the issue that has divided them, and to live together peacefully.

"Indonesia is very much concerned, and hopes the conflict in Yemen to be solved through dialogs and peaceful resolution," the vice president remarked in his office on Wednesday.

In its effort to help end the conflict in Yemen, Kalla said the Government of Indonesia has conveyed a proposal on the establishment of a task force to the ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries.

The proposal was conveyed when President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received the ambassadors from the OIC member countries in the company of Kalla at the Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla accompanied the OIC member countries ambassadors to meet with President Jokowi to discuss the situation of Islamic world globally.

Kalla said earlier on Tuesday that the discussion would aim at

finding solutions to problems such as the spread of radicalism, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and the turmoil in Yemen.

"The government will discuss the issues with some 57 ambassadors from the OIC member countries, and to equalize perception in our effort to find a way out for peacekeeping in the Islamic countries," Kalla told prominent Islamic scholars and organizations at his residence.

He noted that President Joko Widodo would convey Indonesias attitude in facing the latest situation, and joint efforts to create a better peace in Islamic countries.(*)

Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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