Amid Criticism, Yudhoyono to Go to NY for World Statesman Award
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will head to New York to accept the World Statesman Award. (AFP Photo/Adek Berry)
Despite mounting criticism from interfaith activists, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will accept the World Statesman Award in an upcoming trip to the United States, his staff said on Saturday.
"During [the] president's visit to New York, a nonprofit organization Appeal of Conscience Foundation will give him the World Statesman Award," Teuku Faizasyah, who serves in the international relations department of the presidential staff, said in a release sent to the Jakarta Globe. "The award is given for several achievements to support democratic society, his role in creating international peace and in supporting significant progress on human rights, religious tolerance and inter-civilization relation appreciation."
The award has garnered widespread criticism from interfaith and human rights activists, who say Yudhoyono has failed to resolve Indonesia's religious intolerance problems. Critics cite the closures of churches in Bogor and Bekasi, along with attacks on Ahmadiyah Muslims as examples.
Presidential staff on political communication Daniel Sparingga said that the president has and would always work with all authorities to put an end to religious intolerance.
"President SBY shares the same concern with all parties concerning intolerance in our society. The president thinks that all groups with different understandings and beliefs share the same responsibility to maintain social harmony," Daniel said on Friday.
Daniel said that Yudhoyono told police to guarantee freedom of religion and demanded that they work around the clock to protect this right.
He said that the award itself does not reflect on Yudhoyono's ability to protect religious freedom.
"With all his weaknesses, as an ordinary human or as a leader, SBY wants to fulfill his constitutional and personal commitment to maintain unity in diversity," Daniel said.
In addition to accepting the award during his US trip, Yudhoyono will attend the fifth High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Yudhoyono will also go to Stockholm to pay a visit to Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf and engage in bilateral talks with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and parliament speaker Per Westerberg to discuss various issues on economy, environment, climate change and education. He also plans to sign agreements on science, technology, innovation and health.
He will leave for the United States on May 31.
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