REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NUSA DUA -- Indonesia will soon send humanitarian aids to Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine, Myanmar. This was announced by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) after having a meeting with the former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan at Bali International Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Thursday (8/12).
In a 40 minutes meeting, they discussed a number of steps to help resolving the Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state, Myanmar. “We’ve talked a lot and he delivered earlier in the discussion about the steps that we need to take in helping people in Rakhine State,” Jokowi told reporters after the meeting.
In a meeting before the opening of Bali Democracy Forum IX, the President also said that he would immediately send logistical aids to Myanmar. He instructed the ministers to prepare it as soon as possible. The aid would be delivered in the form of food and blankets. These were the current needs of the people in Rohingya.
The President also instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi to visit to Myanmar. Last week, the minister had a meeting with the state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in the Capital of Myanmar to talk about the current situation of Rakhine. The government wanted to know what kind of aids can be delivered to resolve the conflicts.
On the same occasion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said that Kofi Annan, who also once served as the Chairman of Kofi Annan Foundation, appreciated the Indonesian government’s effort to help to resolve the problems in Rakhine.
Retno was instructed to prepare a long-term resolution for it. "There were some things needed for a long-term solution and it has been discussed with the state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi,” said Retno.
One of the solutions was a capacity building on democracy, good governance, and human rights. According to her, this program has been carried out and would be continued as it was very important. Retno accompanied the President Joko Widodo to join the meeting together with the Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung.