“The Russian invasion of Ukraine requires an urgent response from the world community”

“General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board Responds to Conflict Between Russia and Ukraine”

JAKARTA, Indonesia — On February 24, 2022, shortly after the Russian Federation launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the Chairman of the world’s largest Muslim organization described the attack as a profound threat to the post-World War II international order and called for a global response to Russia’s violation of Ukrainian territory.

Yahya Cholil Staquf, General Chairman of Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama, said that the attack also risks undermining stability within the Islamic world by normalizing aggression between states — a practice that was widespread throughout human history prior to the United Nations Charter of 1945.

The post-World War II rules-based international order is under severe stress, challenged by the emergence of “authoritarian, civilizationist states that do not accept [this] order, whether in terms of human rights, rule of law, democracy or respect for international borders and the sovereignty of other nations” (Centrist Democrat International Resolution on promoting a rules-based international order founded upon universal ethics and humanitarian values). . . . .

Simultaneously, socio-cultural and political developments in recent decades have precipitated a crisis of confidence in Europe and North America regarding the traditional values and legitimacy of Western civilization. These developments have profoundly undermined the philosophical, spiritual and moral foundation upon which the post-war international order was built.

~ Timothy S. Shah and Thomas Dinham, “Humanitarian Islam: Fostering shared civilizational values to revitalize a rules-based international order,” Strategic Review

An English translation of the official Nahdlatul Ulama statement on KH. Yahya Cholil Staquf’s comments about Russia and Ukraine may be read below.

INTERNATIONAL

NU Chairman Calls Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine a Threat to International Order

Nuriel Shiami Indiraphasa   |   Friday, February 25, 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine requires an urgent response from the world community. (Photo: thetimes.co.uk)

Jakarta, NU Online

Yahya Cholil Staquf, General Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board, has spoken publicly about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He fears that Russia’s invasion could threaten the integrity of the current world order.

“If not properly addressed, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will seriously endanger the integrity of our current world order,” said the Nahdlatul Ulama leader, who is commonly known as “Gus Yahya,” in comments delivered at the NU headquarters building on Thursday (24/2/2022) afternoon.

Gus Yahya observed that the Russian invasion constitutes a major challenge to the nations of the world. A robust response by the international community is essential because Russia’s attack on Ukraine has a direct bearing upon whether the foundations of our current world order — which the international community has constructed since World War II — shall endure.

“Whether we succeed in preserving the post-World War II international order will depend, among other factors, upon the international community’s response to what is now happening in the two aforementioned countries,” said the Muslim scholar born in Rembang, Central Java.

According to Mr. Staquf, Russia’s invasion also risks undermining stability in the Muslim world, particularly in regard to established borders. He described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a clear violation of national borders, and the kind of behavior that was virtually an international norm prior to World War II.

“This is a major challenge for the international community, and I believe the entire world should respond,” he stated.

Meanwhile, although the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (“Jokowi”), has not issued an official statement, he has called for an immediate end to the war.

“Stop the war. War torments human beings and endangers the entire world,” said President Jokowi via a tweet posted on his Twitter account @jokowi, Thursday night (24/2/2022).

Earlier, Jokowi had alluded to rising tensions in Ukraine, calling for their immediate cessation. He also urged all parties to actively contribute to peace, for war should not be allowed to occur.

“I share UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s view that the Ukraine crisis must be handled carefully in order to avert a major humanitarian catastrophe. However, these efforts to promote peace must be swift and cannot be delayed,” said President Jokowi.

Shortly before Mr. Staquf delivered his remarks, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a special military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

Contributor: Nuriel Shiami Indiraphasa

Editor: Aiz Luthfi

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