TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Indonesia admitted that the delegation of Taliban visited Indonesia in an informal setting. Kabul claimed that its delegation has met politicians in Indonesia. "(The Taliban officials) they did visit for an internal affair with the representatives of Afghanistan in Indonesia," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah when called by Tempo on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

Faizasyah emphasized there was no meeting between the Indonesian government with the Taliban delegation.

Taliban returned to power over Afghanistan on August 2021, and the regime has since tried to gain state recognition from the Islamic world, including approaching Indonesia to improve political and economic relations.

Indonesia has not recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government, as do other countries. However, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has voiced in international forums Indonesia's support for peace and sustainable development in Afghanistan. Indonesia opened an embassy in Kabul last year.

Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad via Twitter mentioned that one of its government's top diplomats led the delegates in Indonesia. "The delegates held meeting with several scholars, politicians, and entrepreneurs in Indonesia to improve our bilateral political and economic relations," he wrote on July 14, 2023.

Ahmad did not reveal which Indonesian politicians agreed to meet with Afghanistan's delegation. However, Ahmad revealed that the Afghanistan delegation also met with diplomats from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Singapore during their stay in Indonesia.

Over the past few months, Taliban authority has banned beauty salons and conducted at least two public executions. Kabul also forbids women's access to school and the opportunity to work in government offices. Taliban fully believes in their interpretation of Sharia law in all aspects. Last month, a report by Afghanistan Special Rapporteur Richard Bennet to the UN Human Rights Committee stated that the Taliban "may be responsible for gender apartheid". Bennet said that the Taliban's version of law made the predicament for women and girls in Afghanistan worsened.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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