Indonesia President Joko Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (L) stand beside aid for Rohingya Muslims at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, at Halim Perdanakusuma military airbase in Jakarta, September 13, 2017. Indonesia's President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called for an immediate end to violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state and promised significant humanitarian aid. REUTERS/Beawiharta
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo alias Jokowi bids farewell to four airplanes carrying 34 tons of aid supplies for Rohingya.
“Alhamdulillah [all praise to God] we have flown humanitarian aid in the first phase for refugees in the Rakhine State on Bangladesh- Myanmar borders,” Jokowi said today at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.
Joko Widodo added that the aid supplies carried by 4 Hercules aircraft comprise of ready-to-eat foods, family kit, blankets, water tank and tens. Those are the most needed items by the Rohingya people.
“I would like to thank the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh for giving the access [to Indonesia to distribute] the relief items. We are hopeful that the relief items will arrive at the locations swiftly,” Joko Widodo said.
The Hercules planes carrying aid supplies from Jokowi are expected to land at a Myanmar airport, 170 kilometers from the Rohingya refugee shelters. The aid items will be transported from the airport to the shelters by land.