Jakarta (Fides Service) - A delegation of Indonesian religious leaders has set out from Jakarta on a peace mission to oppose war on Iraq, which will have laps in Australia, Belgium and Rome. The delegation includes Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, Archbishop of Jakarta; Hasyim Muzadi leader of the largest Muslim organisation in Indonesia Nahdlatul Ulama and Prof. Andreas Anangguru Yewangoe of the communion of Protestant churches as well as Hindu and Buddhist representatives. The delegation is convinced that no good reasons exist to justify a war on Iraq: "Any military action must be authorised by the United Nations' Security Council and it must have substantial justification". Mr Hasyim Muzadi affirms that "only the Security Council has the right to say whether or not Iraq possess weapons of mass destruction. An attack by the United States would have negative consequences also here in Indonesia triggering the resurgence of fundamentalism."
The peace mission will go from Australia to Belgium and then on the Rome where the members will be received by Pope John Paul II. The decision to make the journey was taken on February 5 during an interreligious meeting in Jakarta. The leaders fear that in many Muslim countries, including Indonesia, war will be seen as a sort of anti-Islam "Crusade" . They think that a united stance by Christians and Muslims against this war can help avoid similar misunderstandings. PA (Fides Service 14/2/2003 EM lines 16 Words: 242)