On the Signing of the Memorandum on Cooperation between
The Romanian Ministry of Justice and the Indonesian Department of Law and Human Rights

The Romanian Minister of Justice, Mrs. Monica Macovei and the Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights, Mr. Hammid Awaludin, have signed today, the 11th of April 2006, the Memorandum on Cooperation between Romania’s Ministry of Justice and the Department of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia.

This memorandum establishes the framework of cooperation between the two countries in the field of justice, regulates the exchange of information regarding matters of mutual interest and opens the perspective of concluding in the near future bilateral treaties at the state level concerning the judicial assistance in criminal cases and extradition.  

The official visit to Romania of the Indonesian Minister of Justice and Human Rights is taking place upon the invitation of his Romanian counterpart and represents one of the objectives that the Ministry of Justice has set forth, namely increasing the existing bilateral relations with South-Eastern Asian countries

 

23 Mar 2006 22:58

Indonesia deplores the decision of the Australian DIMA to grant
temporary visas to 42 Indonesian asylum seekers from PapuaProvince.

The Government of Indonesia is surprised, disappointed and deeply deploring the decision by the Australia’s Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) which on 23rd March 2006 granted temporary visas to 42 out 43 Indonesian asylum seekers from Papua Province.

On numerous occasions, the Indonesian Government at the highest level has made it absolutely clear that none of these self styled “asylum seekers” in question are being sought by the Indonesian authority for any reason whatsoever, nor are they being subjected to any persecution in Indonesia. Indeed, the Indonesian Government guaranteed their safety if they wish to return back to Indonesia. The decision by DIMA is therefore baseless and without legal merit.

Indonesian Government is of the view that the 43 persons are no more than economic migrants who seek to find a better life. Indonesia also regretted that the false claim being made by those asylum seekers has been accepted as the legal basis for DIMA to provide them with temporary visas.

It is our view that the decision to grant the 42 persons temporary visas sets a precedent which may be counter-productive, and does not account for the sensitivity of Indonesians to this issue. It is also unhelpful to Indonesia’s serious and sincere efforts to find a solution to the problems in Papua through dialogue. The decision justifies speculations that there are elements in Australia that support separatist movement in Papua, and in this regard the Government of Australia has not done anything to them.

The Government of Indonesia can not but detect the application of a double standard in this respect because in many other recent cases of asylum seeking, the Government of Australia has vigorously rejected them. Such a practice stands in stark contrast to the hasty accommodation given to the 42 Indonesian asylum seekers from Papua Province.

This decision negated the spirit of bilateral cooperation in particular to counter illegal migrants which both side have painstakingly fostered in the past several years. This inconsistency will only weaken the commitment of the parties on this important issue.

The Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia summoned the Ambassador of Australia in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, 23 March 2006, to lodge a formal protest on the DIMA decision and convey Indonesia’s disappointment.
DFA, Jakarta, 23 March 2006