JAKARTA, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama will make a major speech addressed to the Islamic world today, before an erupting volcano forces him to make an early departure from the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.
The U.S. leader cut short his long-delayed visit to Indonesia, where he lived for four years as a child, by concern that an ash cloud from the deadly Mount Merapi volcano would prevent his taking off in time to attend a G20 summit in South Korea.
But his curtailed schedule will still allow time for a visit to Jakarta’s national Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in southeast Asia, and to make the speech at the University of Indonesia.
Before a crowd of 6,000, Obama will lay out broad themes of the U.S. relationship with Indonesia, as well as Indonesia’s example in the world as an emerging democracy, a country working to develop its economy and a majority-Muslim nation that is tolerant of other religions.
“Indonesia can be a positive model in the region and in the world for a developing country embracing democracy,” Ben Rhodes, Obama’s deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, told a news briefing previewing the speech.
“Indonesia is a pluralistic country. It’s a tolerant country, so this is not simply through the vein of one religion, but holding up the way in which Indonesia sets a very positive example through its pluralism,” Rhodes said.
The speech had been scheduled to take place at an outdoor venue, but was moved inside at the request of the Indonesian government, which was concerned about the possibility of rainy weather and crowd control.
Obama has been greeted as a returning hero in Indonesia, where he moved with his mother in 1967, a sharp contrast after the heavy blow he received at home in mid-term elections on Nov. 2, when rival Republicans scored big victories over his fellow Democrats.
The visit came after two previously scheduled trips to Indonesia this year were put off by domestic political issues.
ADULATION IN ASIA AFTER BLOWS AT HOME
Indonesia is the second stop on Obama’s 10-day, four-country tour of Asia, which ends on Nov. 15. Obama was also received with adulation in India, his first stop, where even critics were charmed by the U.S. leader and especially his wife, first lady Michelle Obama.
Confidence in Obama has dropped in many Muslim nations since he made a first major speech in Cairo in June 2009 reaching out to the Islamic world. The long U.S. wars in Muslim nations Afghanistan and Iraq have lost him support, and the lack of movement on peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians has also sapped confidence.
