By NNN-ANTARA,
Jakarta : The Indonesian government asked other countries to stop human rights violations, and the flow of people leaving their countries of origin, a minister said.
The minister`s request was one of the diplomatic actions to be taken to settle the boat people issue in Indonesia.
“We have taken an emergency response such as providing food, drink, medicines and medical treatment. We will take diplomatic actions to settle the issue,” Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told reporters here on Friday.
The government will intensify coordination with international organizations such as IOM (International Organization for Migration), UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), Wirajuda said.
“The Indonesian government is consistent to look at issue like this as an international issue. Thus, the settlement must involve the country of origin, country of transit as well as country of destination,” said Wirajuda.
Indonesian government also asked the country of origin to stop the flow of boat people and lessen the reasons which can cause their citizen to flee to other countries that can burden fellow ASEAN member countries.
“All ASEAN member countries are bound to ASEAN Charter which came into force on December 15, 2008. It is included in the charter that we are bound to develop and respects human rights and in cooperation to not hand over burden to other ASEAN countries. We must cooperate to seek the solution of an issue,” said Wirajuda.
Some 193 Rohingyas from Myanmar were stranded in Sabang, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province on Jan 7 and found without identification.
On Tuesday (Feb 3), Indonesian authorities found another 198 boat people floating in a wooden boat off the coast of Aceh after 21 days at sea, with some of them in a critical condition.
Many Rohingyas, mostly Muslim, living in the border region between Bangladesh and Myanmar, have fled to Thailand and Malaysia to avoid persecution by the Myanmarese regime.