Obama not welcome in Indonesia

Islamic leaders in Indonesia say that US President Barack Obama’s policies towards the Muslim world are no different than his predecessors.

The leaders say they are disappointed by Obama’s last year Cairo speech in which he tried to reduce tensions between the Islamic world and the United States.

“During the last few months after that speech, almost one year, nothing has been realized so far,” VOA quoted Din Syamsuddin, head of Mohamadiyah, the second-largest Islamic organization in Indonesia.

Professor Azyumardi Azra of the Islamic State University in Jakarta said, “Muslims in general of course expect also that President Obama talk about how he is going to resolve the continued conflicts in Palestine, also in Iraq and in Afghanistan.”

The remarks came as Obama canceled his trip to Australia and Indonesia to work with lawmakers on passing his health care legislation.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters that Obama will reschedule his trip to the world’s largest Muslim majority country for June.

Last week, thousands of Indonesians held rallies in cities across the country to protest the visit. The protesters shouted slogans against Obama and his war policies.

The leaders have accused Obama of following in former US President George W Bush’s footsteps on transparency issues relating to war on terror tactics.