Indonesia told to open access to displaced persons

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A special envoy of the UN Secretary General has urged the Indonesian government to open its doors to international assistance to handle the problem of some 1.3 million people who have been displaced by violence and conflict in the country.

Francis M. Deng, representative of the UN chief for internally displaced persons (IDPs), concluded a one-week official visit to Indonesia on Sept. 28, the UN office in Jakarta said Wednesday.

In his meetings with Indonesian officials, Deng stressed the importance of addressing the situation in a comprehensive and well coordinated manner at the central and local levels, it said.

"He encouraged the government to enhance the national response to the internally displaced persons with the support of, and in close collaboration with UN agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations, and the donor community."

IDPs are not considered refugees by the United Nations and are not entitled to the international assistance that refugees who are officially categorized as such, receive.

In the case of Indonesia, only East Timorese who fled the territory in the wake of violence in September 1999 are aided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

However, more than one million other Indonesians who have recently fled violence in Aceh, Maluku, North Maluku, Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi and Irian Jaya now face uncertainty with the government in Jakarta, which is apparently too cash-strapped to be able to provide the necessary assistance.

Deng met with a number of Indonesian officials, including Vice President Hamzah Haz, who chairs the advisory board of the Bakornas PBP, the agency charged with dealing with IDP issues.

Indonesia had also been reluctant to fully opening up access for foreign aid workers to the camps of displaced people.

Addressing Jakarta's concerns, Deng, during his discussions "emphasized his approach of respect for the sovereignty of the state and the recognition that the crisis of internal displacement falls within domestic jurisdiction," according to a UN statement released to the media.

"However, he emphasized that rather than a concept of barricading the country against the international community, sovereignty should be regarded positively as a concept of state responsibility for protecting and assisting citizens and all those under state jurisdiction.

"The role of the international community is to assist the states to discharge their responsibilities," it said.

Deng urged the government to engage in consultation with the displaced persons, in particular to assess their needs and their aspirations, paying attention to the needs of women and children.