JK Calls for Humanitarian Values to Guide Responses to Global Crises
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Jusuf Kalla (JK), Indonesia’s 10th and 12th vice-president, has stressed that humanitarian values must be the primary foundation for addressing global crises, whether caused by armed conflict or natural disasters.
A sense of humanity that transcends national borders, race, ethnicity and religion is an important asset for people around the world to find solutions together, he said during a public lecture at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States, this week.
“Humanity must be our primary paradigm in facing global crises. Humanity transcends national borders, race, ethnicity, religion and any affiliation. As long as humanity is our starting point, we can face and overcome global crises together,” JK said, according to a press statement received by ANTARA in Jakarta on Sunday.
Speaking to around 100 Yale students and lecturers, JK said the world was currently facing a range of interconnected crises. Armed conflicts in several regions were unfolding alongside the threat of natural disasters and humanitarian problems whose effects crossed national borders.
The former Indonesian vice-president also highlighted changes in global military power dynamics. He said possession of modern weaponry did not always guarantee that a country could easily defeat its opponent.
He said morale, strategy, and mastery of science and technology also shaped a party’s ability to deal with conflict.
JK cited the protracted Russia-Ukraine war, Iran’s ability to withstand pressure from the United States and Israel, and the threat posed by Houthi armed groups to countries in the Gulf region.
“Current conflicts show that superiority in weaponry alone is not enough. Morale, strategy, and the ability to master and operate technology are also crucial. Science and human capabilities are therefore important factors in confronting challenges,” he said.
Drawing on the experience of various conflicts, JK stressed that security problems could not be resolved by relying solely on military force. Understanding the root causes, engaging in dialogue and taking a humanitarian approach were also necessary to open a path towards peace.