Indonesian President's address

Given the historic relationship between Pakistan and Indonesia, it was only appropriate that the visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo's itinerary include his address to a joint sitting of Parliament. Both countries having experienced long periods of military dictatorships, he averred, democracy is the best way to serve the people and to provide them space in decision-making. But the main thrust of his speech was ending wars and conflicts besetting Muslim nations. He called for continued support for the Palestinian struggle stopping short, though, of mentioning the Kashmiri people's ongoing struggle against Indian rule, which is contributing to heightening of Pak-India tensions. That may have upset his audience until he addressed the issue in his own way.
Notably, President Widodo flew into Pakistan from India where alongside nine other ASEAN leaders he was the chief guest at that country's Republic Day celebrations at a time New Delhi is vigorously pursuing its 'Act East policy.' Many of the ASEAN members, in territorial disputes with China and wary of its rising world status, are eager to respond to India's overtures. And with the opening up of its economy looking to expand trade and investment ties with it. Indonesia, however, has a longstanding close relationship with Pakistan, going back to the 1960s and, as the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq recalled at the joint session, even to the time of Indonesia's fight for independence against Dutch colonial rule. In Pakistan's hour of need during the 1965 war with India, Indonesia stood firmly by this country's side providing military equipment and, of course, diplomatic support. President Widodo was not expected to forget the old ties and ignore this country's core concerns. He preferred to take an indirect approach to the Kashmir issue, narrating his own country's experience in Aceh province where a freedom movement had raged on ceaselessly. The conflict in Aceh, he recalled, continued for more than 30 years - incidentally, the present phase of Kashmiri fight for freedom has also been going on for nearly 30 years - but military approach alone did not help. It was resolved, he said, "through negotiations and dialogue" thereby suggesting India, too, needs to give up military approach and settle the issue through dialogue. Further emphasizing the point, he said "weapons and military power alone will never be able to create and maintain world's peace and competition; arms race will be continuously creating tensions."
Hopefully, during interactions with his Indian hosts also he gave them Aceh's example to urge a negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue. That country's Hindu extremist leadership though is unlikely to pay heed to it at this point in time. The alternative is an endless conflict in the occupied Kashmir, and tensions with Pakistan that can lead to consequences no one in this region or farther afield would like to see.