P

resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo called for a united coalition on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations among navies in Pacific and Indian oceans.

The statement was made during the opening ceremony for Komodo 2016, a multilateral naval exercise focused on maritime peacekeeping efforts, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, at the Padang Main Naval Base II on Tuesday.

“An operation will be optimal if it is not carried out alone [by a single country]; we need to establish cooperation with other countries, particularly those in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean,” Jokowi said in his opening speech on Tuesday.

The Indonesian Navy fielded 11 warships in the event, joined by 20 warships from 16 countries, including Singapore, India, Japan, France, Russia, China, Australia and the US, alongside 11 other vessels types from other institutions.

Having inspected the goings on, Jokowi broadcast his message, calling for maritime unity to be maintained from the bridge of Indonesian warship KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368.

“As citizens of the world we are united by the sea. Therefore, cooperation at sea must be maintained,” said Jokowi who has been pushing for the realization of his maritime-axis vision.

“Your job is to conduct a war to win humanitarian matters, improve health services, help the construction of public facilities and increase search and rescue cooperation. Once again, our war is aimed at [improving] humanity”.

Navy chief of staff Adm. Ade Supandi deemed the exercise to “reflect goals and commitments to improve existing cooperation aimed at bringing peace and maintaining stability in the region”.

Other than the Komodo exercise, the series of events involving naval forces from 32 countries held between April 12 to 16 in Padang and the Mentawai Islands, comprise of two additional main events; the 2016 International Fleet Review and the 15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).

Participants are also expected to take part in numerous activities including the Medical Civic Action Project (Medcap), the Engineering Civic Action Project (Encap), and the Maritime Peace Keeping Operation (MPKO).

During the event on Tuesday, attended by Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, the President inaugurated a peace dove monument. The leaders of delegations from participating countries also signed the inscription.

The Komodo exercise was first held in Batam and in the Anambas and Natuna Islands in 2014 following Indonesia’s initiative to establish a joint exercise aimed at improving peacekeeping operations with ASEAN members and other countries.

Iis Gindarsah from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the Komodo naval exercise “is strategically important for two issues” including Indonesian defense diplomacy in the region.

“First, the event symbolizes Indonesia’s convening power in regional defense diplomacy. Second, the location of a multilateral exercise offshore from West Sumatra represents the country’s ambition to become a naval power in the Indian ocean,” he said.

Officials from the various countries participating in the event are set to release a number of baby sea turtles into the sea at Cimpago Beach in Padang on Wednesday, and will attend an exhibition of traditional boats.
_______________________________________