Indonesia told to open access to displaced persons<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A special envoy of the UN Secretary General has urged the
\nIndonesian government to open its doors to international
\nassistance to handle the problem of some 1.3 million people who
\nhave been displaced by violence and conflict in the country.<\/p>\n
Francis M. Deng, representative of the UN chief for internally
\ndisplaced persons (IDPs), concluded a one-week official visit to
\nIndonesia on Sept. 28, the UN office in Jakarta said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
In his meetings with Indonesian officials, Deng stressed the
\nimportance of addressing the situation in a comprehensive and
\nwell coordinated manner at the central and local levels, it said.<\/p>\n
\"He encouraged the government to enhance the national response
\nto the internally displaced persons with the support of, and in
\nclose collaboration with UN agencies, international and national
\nnon-governmental organizations, and the donor community.\"<\/p>\n
IDPs are not considered refugees by the United Nations and are
\nnot entitled to the international assistance that refugees who
\nare officially categorized as such, receive.<\/p>\n
In the case of Indonesia, only East Timorese who fled the
\nterritory in the wake of violence in September 1999 are aided by
\nthe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).<\/p>\n
However, more than one million other Indonesians who have
\nrecently fled violence in Aceh, Maluku, North Maluku, Kalimantan,
\nCentral Sulawesi and Irian Jaya now face uncertainty with the
\ngovernment in Jakarta, which is apparently too cash-strapped to
\nbe able to provide the necessary assistance.<\/p>\n
Deng met with a number of Indonesian officials, including Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz, who chairs the advisory board of the
\nBakornas PBP, the agency charged with dealing with IDP issues.<\/p>\n
Indonesia had also been reluctant to fully opening up access
\nfor foreign aid workers to the camps of displaced people.<\/p>\n
Addressing Jakarta's concerns, Deng, during his discussions
\n\"emphasized his approach of respect for the sovereignty of the
\nstate and the recognition that the crisis of internal
\ndisplacement falls within domestic jurisdiction,\" according to a
\nUN statement released to the media.<\/p>\n
\"However, he emphasized that rather than a concept of
\nbarricading the country against the international community,
\nsovereignty should be regarded positively as a concept of state
\nresponsibility for protecting and assisting citizens and all
\nthose under state jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
\"The role of the international community is to assist the
\nstates to discharge their responsibilities,\" it said.<\/p>\n
Deng urged the government to engage in consultation with the
\ndisplaced persons, in particular to assess their needs and their
\naspirations, paying attention to the needs of women and children.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-told-to-open-access-to-displaced-persons-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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