JAKARTA: A Ukrainian civil society delegation visited Indonesia to strengthen social, cultural, and economic relations, as well as to gather support for the end of the war in that country.
“In 1946, Ukraine supported Indonesia’s struggle for freedom and independence against the Dutch. Now, Ukrainians are fighting for our freedom from Russia,” comparative politics expert Professor Olexiy Haran said at a press conference.
The delegation’s visit is aimed at garnering Indonesia’s support as well as co-operation to help end Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, he informed.
He expressed his appreciation for the support of the Indonesian civil society. He said he was also grateful for Indonesia’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity at the United Nations.
“This means a lot to us,” he added.
Meanwhile, deputy director general of the Institute of Ukraine Alim Aliev said that during the visit, he met with representatives of leading Islamic organisations and institutions, including Muhammadiyah and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), and visited the Istiqlal Mosque.
He also touched upon the persecution carried out by Russia against the indigenous Muslim population of Ukraine, namely the Crimean Tatars, in the occupied territory of Crimea.
Since invading Crimea in 2014, Russia, he said, had waged a systematic campaign of persecution against the people of Crimea, detaining Crimeans who opposed Russian rule on charges of terrorism and extremism.
“Russia claims to be a friend of Muslims. But the first victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine were the Muslims in Crimea,” he observed.
“They are trying to destroy our identity by banning our religious leaders and religious organizations. This is not a war about territory but a war against democracy, humanity, freedom, and identity,” he added.
In the meantime, director for international co-operation at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Anna Liubyma highlighted the potential for co-operation that could be forged with Indonesia in various sectors.
“There are so many opportunities in various sectors to work with Indonesia, including agriculture, information technology, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and energy,” she said.
She noted that the annual trade between Indonesia and Ukraine reached US$1.24 billion before the war. However, after Russia invaded Ukraine, trade with Indonesia almost completely stopped.
She said that trade will recover a bit if Russia ends its invasion of Ukraine.
