TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo held a meeting with former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan before opening the Ninth Bali Democracy Forum on Thursday, December 8, 2016.
President Jokowi said that the meeting was held to discuss steps to be taken to settle the Rohingya human rights issue in Rakhine, Myanmar.
“Mr. Kofi Annan is the Head of Advisory Commission on Rohingya State. So, we engaged in a discussion, and he suggested steps be taken to help resolve the human rights issue in Rakhine State,” Jokowi said in a press release received by Tempo on Thursday, December 8, 2016.
The meeting lasted for around 30 minutes at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua, Bali. Jokowi pledged to send logistical assistance soon.
“I have ordered ministries to prepare assistance as soon as possible,” he said.
Jokowi said that the Indonesian government and the Myanmar government had coordinated to ship food and blankets to Rakhine State.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi said that Annan expressed his appreciation to Indonesia’s move.
“We have discussed steps to be taken in a long run with Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi,” Retno said in the same press release.
She explained that the steps included assistance in good government democracy and human rights sectors.
“These are programs that we have executed, but they will be continued due to their importance,” Retno said.
YOHANES PASKALIS
