PUBLIC STATEMENT
AMAN Indonesia and the Civil Society Network
Protection of Afghan Women and Children Cannot Be Abandoned
We, AMAN Indonesia and the Civil Society Network from various religious, believes, ethnic backgrounds, who work in the fields of women’s empowerment, child protection, strengthening women’s political participation, women-peace-security, interfaith cooperation, strengthening young people, strengthening Indonesian women ulama, and promotion of peace and tolerance. In the Open Mic Event which was held online on Saturday (11/9/2021), at 13.00-16.30 WIB, they stated that the Indonesian Government is Important to Pay Attention to the Protection of Women and Children in Afghanistan. The Indonesian government already has good diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. In the current political transition, it is important to maintain the spirit of brotherhood among Muslims (ukhuwah Islamiyah), brotherhood among the citizen (ukhuwah wathoniyah), brotherhood of human beings (ukhuwah insaniyah).
We, AMAN Indonesia and the Civil Society Network strongly believe in Indonesia’s role in promoting peace in the world. This is in accordance with the mandate of the 1945 Constitution. As a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia has proven to the world as a safe country where democracy and Islam coexist in harmony. Islam Wasathiyah (the middle way) will lead to the formation of the ummatan wasathan (justly community), which is an ideal society that is balanced, moderate in nature and stands in the middle. That is, people who are not excessive and not extreme.
We, AMAN Indonesia and the Civil Society Network believe that the practice of religious moderation with the Islamic principle of rahmatan lil’alamin should be the principle of the form of a nation state called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Thus, the protection of all citizens is a priority. Girls are given the freedom to get an education, women are given the freedom to work, their security is guaranteed, women’s participation in all sectors. Women are guaranteed their safety from the threat of gender-based and sexual violence. Minority groups also need to get protection within the framework of an Islamic state.
We, AMAN Indonesia and the Civil Society Network are very concerned about the fate of the Afghan people who are undergoing a government transition. The return of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the composition of the latest cabinet under the all-male Taliban, raise concerns about the retreat of the women’s agenda, peace and security in the country. Conditions are deemed unsafe, with the strong mobilization of armed forces to all corners of towns and villages, public services that are not yet fully operational and the domestication of women on the grounds that conditions are not yet safe. This situation raises fears in many people about the dark era under the Taliban.
We strongly believe that this is appropriate time for the humanitarian call to be echoed in all corners of the world, to pay attention to the fate of the Afghan people, especially when it comes to the protection of women and children. This is the most concrete humanitarian test so that all countries, especially Indonesia, in carrying out a strategic response to the condition of Afghanistan.
Open Mic for Afghanistan is an open stage for civil society initiated by AMAN Indonesia together with civil society networks, attended by 150 representatives of civil society, carried out using the zoom platform, listening to number of aspirations from various figures who care about women’s empowerment. The forum, which was held for almost four hours, gave issued the recommendations as follows:
First, to encourage the Indonesian government to take strategic steps in the political transition period in Afghanistan. Especially, to introduce Islam Wasathiyah (the middle way) as the best model for Afghanistan. Opening space for dialogue by bringing together Afghan and Indonesian clerics to exchange ideas about a middle way of Islam that can lead to peace.
Second, asking the Indonesian government to continue its humanitarian mission in Afghanistan by ensuring the principles of civil protection in international humanitarian law and human rights which give priority to the protection of life, health and dignity, including freedom from extremist ideology. Indonesia can provide scholarships to young people, especially women, to study Islamic studies and various sciences in Indonesia. This is a long-term investment to build an open society. Indonesia is also expected to continue to support efforts to protect women and children in Afghanistan through humanitarian assistance, by combining religious moderation as a principle.
Third, asking the Indonesian government to be more active in creating world peace by actively facilitating dialogue spaces for women peace activists in Afghanistan with government elites. Dialogue can take place inside or outside Afghanistan, taking into account the security of the actors involved.
Fourth, encourage the Indonesian government to carry out peacekeeping missions in multilateral forums such as the United Nations (UN), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), or South-South Cooperation. In particular, bringing the agenda of women, peace and security in bilateral and multilateral talks with Muslim countries. Both developed countries are working in the third world. Indonesia needs to encourage the United Nations to ensure that the transitional justice and reconciliation agenda is implemented in Afghanistan, where victims of gender-based and sexual violence receive long-term counselling services, compensation and repatriation, prevent recurrence of conflicts, reject impunity, and encourage reconciliation between tribes going for a lasting peace.
Indonesia can also propose sending peacekeepers to Afghanistan, as an effort to open channels of relations with the international community. This is an effort to protect women and children, as well as minorities.
Fifth, ask the Indonesian government to make more exchange programs with Afghanistan so that the mode of religious moderation in Indonesia, namely Islamic organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, Islamic boarding schools, the Indonesian Women’s Ulama Congress (KUPI), which can strengthen the Islamic view of the middle way and offer new hope for Afghanistan in the future.
This is the statement of AMAN Indonesia and the Civil Society Network who joined the Open Mic event. Hopefully this statement can be an introduction to the agenda for our dialogue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Ms. Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi. This statement is also a commitment of civil society to take steps to support the Indonesian government’s steps to encourage the international community to continue to support the Afghan people, especially for the protection of women, children and minority groups.
Best regards,
Dwi Rubiyanti Kholifah, AMAN Indonesia
Supporting Organizations Open Mic Event:
- Solo Bersimfoni
- Mulia Raya Foundation
- Fahmina Institute
- Kongres Ulama Perempuan Indonesia
- LIGS UMJ
- Balai Syura Ureung Inong Aceh
- Aliansi Nasional Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
- Pengurus Pusat Fatayat NU
- Pengurus Wilayah Fatayat NU Jawa Barat
- PERADAH Indonesia
- PERKHIN
- Gerakan Perempuan Sulut
- SeRVE Indonesia
- Yayasan LAPPAN Maluku
- Kalyanamitra
- Konde.co
- Mubadalah
- Bincang Muslimah
- Percik Institute
- PSKP UGM
- Koalisi Perempuan Indonesia
- Institute DIAN/Interfidei
- RAHIMA
- C-SAVE
- Puan Menulis
- Peace Leader Indonesia
- PSPP (Persatuan Sekolah Perempuan Perdamaian)
- GA4P (Girls Ambassadors for Peace
- WGWC (Working Group on Women and P/CVE)
- Yayasan Empatiku