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Jakarta Post

RI seeks peace in Rakhine

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Tama Salim and Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post)
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Jakarta
Mon, September 4, 2017

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RI seeks peace in Rakhine Humanitarian crisis: A protester tears up a picture of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally in front of Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta on Saturday to protest the actions of Myanmar’s army and the government of Aung San Suu Kyi. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned on Sept. 1 of a looming humanitarian catastrophe in western Myanmar and urged security forces to show restraint after hundreds were reported to have been killed in communal violence. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)

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mid all the international and domestic pressure building up around the recent outbreak of violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, Indonesia has launched what is arguably one of its most ambitious peace missions to date, fielding its top diplomat to meet with Myanmar’s top brass.

All eyes will be on Indonesia, which in spite of its continued engagement and historic affinity to Myanmar, will still have to prove whether it has enough leverage to resolve a multi-faceted problem that has persisted throughout many years without reaching a solution to the statelessness of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Likely goaded by pressure from within the country and abroad, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo finally broke his silence on the recent violence in Rakhine, asserting the need to help victims of violence and displacement in a country undergoing a transition toward democracy.

The most recent cycle of violence, allegedly instigated by Rohingya militants and worsened by a military counter-operation last month, has resulted in nearly 400 deaths and pushed some 38,000 Rohingya to flee across the border into neighboring Bangladesh.

During an evening press conference that followed Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi’s departure to Myanmar earlier that day, Jokowi said the situation in Rakhine required real action and not just empty condemnation to help the displaced peoples.

“All of Indonesia and I deeply regret the violent acts that are happening in Rakhine state,” Jokowi told a press conference at the State Palace. “The government is committed to help in this humanitarian crisis [and] to work together with civil societies in Indonesia and [with the] international community.”

The President said Indonesia sent 10 containers of food and medical aid in January and February. The government also built a number of schools in Rakhine and is expected to start building a hospital next month.

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  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
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