2) President receives visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
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1) RSF's decries journalist's expulsion from Indonesia's Papua region
February 6, 2018
After the BBC's Indonesia editor was expelled from the country's easternmost Papua region last weekend over a tweet, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) again urges the Indonesian authorities to allow journalists to report freely in the troubled region, which continues to be an information black hole.
An Australian journalist based in Jakarta since 2006, the BBC’s Rebecca Henschke got a special permit to visit Papua with a crew to cover a military aid operation, but was arrested and expelled, shortly after arriving, on the grounds that she had “hurt the feelings” of soldiers in a tweet.
Accompanied by a photo of foodstuffs, the offending tweet said: “This is the aid coming in for severely malnourished children in Papua – instant noodles, super sweet soft drinks and biscuits.”
Henschke was one of several foreign journalists allowed to go to Papua to cover the military operation, aimed at relieving a malnutrition crisis exacerbated by a measles epidemic that has killed more than 70 children. Foreign journalists are not usually let into Papua, an impoverished region where separatist movements are active.
“It is intolerable that foreign reporters are still banned from Papua,”said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “All Rebecca Henschke did was send a photo taken in the field. This arbitrary decision by the Indonesian military gives the impression that they are acting as a state within the state, especially with regard to Papua.
“Must we remind President Joko Widodo of his promise to open up the region to the media? If he wants to maintain a minimum of credibility, he must give some clear evidence that he is doing this.”
In his search for a strategy for restoring peace in Papua, the president (also known as “Jokowi”) said in 2015 that he would review the restrictions that in practice prevent journalists from visiting Papua. But, three years later, the media’s ability to work there seems to depend as much as ever on military approval.
Defending Henschke’s expulsion, a military spokesman in Papua said her photo showed commercial food products, not the supplies brought by the military. Henschke later deleted her original tweet and posted another saying: “Adding important NOTE: Other sources say this is NOT aid but normal supplies. Huge relief effort underway here.”
Because of the serious media freedom violations in its two easternmost provinces, Papua and West Papua, Indonesia is still ranked no higher than 124th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.
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2) President receives visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Reporter: antara 7 hours ago
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo received the honorary visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra`ad Al Hussein at the Merdeka Palace here on Tuesday.
During the meeting with Al Hussein, the head of state was accompanied by Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yasonna H Laoly, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs AM Fachir, Indonesian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Hasan Kleib, Director General for Multilateral Affairs. Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, and Director of Human Rights and Humanities at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dicky Komar.
Meanwhile, Al Hussein was accompanied by Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for Asia Pacific and Central Asia, Francesco Motta, and Official Spokesperson of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, Ravina Shamdasani.
Laoly remarked that the meeting discussed Indonesia`s role in assisting the handling of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
"Al Hussein has encouraged Indonesia to make various efforts and approaches to address Rohingya issue. The UN High Commissioner believes that Indonesia can be a leader in the settlement of the crisis. Myanmar welcomes Indonesia?s stance regarding the issue," the minister remarked.
During the meeting, the president revealed some challenges in addressing Rohingya refugees, after the president visited Bangladesh and received the complaints of the refugees.
The president affirmed Indonesia`s commitment in upholding human rights enforcement.
Laoly pointed out that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights lauded Indonesia as a role model of a major Muslim country in dealing with issues related to human rights.
He revealed that the meeting also discussed various issues, including revisions to the nation?s criminal code.
The minister noted that Al Hussein expected the revisions to not criminalize the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community.
"I conveyed that the government`s concept to minorities is still being discussed by the House of Representatives," the minister pointed out.
Fachir explained that the visit was an invitation from Indonesia.
The deputy minister added that regional cooperation on human rights was very important.
"With regard to Indonesia`s commitment, the president repeatedly stressed his commitment to promote human rights, because it was a constitutional mandate. He also acknowledged that the state must uphold human rights," he concluded.
(UU.A063/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(UU.A063/A/KR-BSR/F001)
During the meeting with Al Hussein, the head of state was accompanied by Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yasonna H Laoly, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs AM Fachir, Indonesian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Hasan Kleib, Director General for Multilateral Affairs. Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, and Director of Human Rights and Humanities at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dicky Komar.
Meanwhile, Al Hussein was accompanied by Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for Asia Pacific and Central Asia, Francesco Motta, and Official Spokesperson of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, Ravina Shamdasani.
Laoly remarked that the meeting discussed Indonesia`s role in assisting the handling of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
"Al Hussein has encouraged Indonesia to make various efforts and approaches to address Rohingya issue. The UN High Commissioner believes that Indonesia can be a leader in the settlement of the crisis. Myanmar welcomes Indonesia?s stance regarding the issue," the minister remarked.
During the meeting, the president revealed some challenges in addressing Rohingya refugees, after the president visited Bangladesh and received the complaints of the refugees.
The president affirmed Indonesia`s commitment in upholding human rights enforcement.
Laoly pointed out that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights lauded Indonesia as a role model of a major Muslim country in dealing with issues related to human rights.
He revealed that the meeting also discussed various issues, including revisions to the nation?s criminal code.
The minister noted that Al Hussein expected the revisions to not criminalize the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community.
"I conveyed that the government`s concept to minorities is still being discussed by the House of Representatives," the minister pointed out.
Fachir explained that the visit was an invitation from Indonesia.
The deputy minister added that regional cooperation on human rights was very important.
"With regard to Indonesia`s commitment, the president repeatedly stressed his commitment to promote human rights, because it was a constitutional mandate. He also acknowledged that the state must uphold human rights," he concluded.
(UU.A063/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(UU.A063/A/KR-BSR/F001)
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