VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga has emphasized that women must not be left out of peace and security agendas.

"Women are strong peace activists and capable negotiators," she said while delivering her remarks at the ASEAN Women Peace and Security (WPS) Summit here on Thursday.

At the conference themed "High-Level Dialogue to Advance the Implementation of the Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security," Puspayoga observed that conflicts have a profound and often disproportionate and harmful impact on women and girls.

She added that women and girls are more vulnerable to gender-based violence that is worsened by conflict.

"To this end, women's participation is very meaningful in the peace process to improve the effectiveness, legitimacy, and sustainability of peace," she said.

According to the minister, women have a natural sensitivity that can help build a sense of mutual respect and inclusivity among various groups.

However, she said, in conflict prevention, peace negotiation, and post-conflict reconstruction, women are often viewed as weak, and their voices are often underestimated.

She added that, as the chair of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia has picked the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth," which symbolizes the country's commitment to increasing the significance and relevance of ASEAN in the region as well as on the global stage.

She expressed the hope that the ASEAN WPS conference would help strengthen commitment and collaborative action to fully advance the agenda of women, peace, and security.

"Let us identify concrete steps and real actions regarding how women implement peace and security that will bring transformative changes across ASEAN," she said.

The minister expressed optimism that when women are empowered and children are protected well, prosperity will be available for all.  (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is optimistic that Ewer Airport in Asmat District, South Papua Province, would open isolation and accelerate the mobility of individuals and goods in the region.

"Connectivity between regions, be it a district, province, or island, is very important. Great connectivity can speed up the mobility of people and goods. It can also open up isolation," he said during the inauguration of the Ewer Airport Terminal on Thursday as broadcast from the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.

He noted that Ewer Airport has, so far, served flights from Timika twice a week, flights from Kamur four times a week, and flights from Merauke four times a week.

The president is upbeat that Ewer Airport would also open tourism in Asmat and provide a multiplier effect for the economy in South Papua.

On the same occasion, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi  stated that the construction and development of transportation infrastructure in Asmat District showed the government's commitment to equitable distribution of development across Indonesia, especially in South Papua.

He said that the government also built a passenger terminal at Ewer Airport having a touch of minimalist architecture, with ornaments and interiors inspired by Asmat culture.

"Like the installation of a miniature Asmat boat that is not just a means of transportation but also a philosophy of life and death for the Asmat tribe," Sumadi explained.

He said that Ewer Airport has been developed from 2018 to 2022, with a total budget of Rp287 billion using the state budget.

The Ewer Airport has a runway sized 1,650 m x 30 m to accommodate ATR72-600 type aircraft. Meanwhile, the passenger terminal, measuring 488 square meters, can accommodate up to 14 thousand passengers per year, Sumadi noted. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have agreed to the drafting of a roadmap for development cooperation for the next five years.

"Indonesia will soon also start renovating Port Moresby Hospital, developing fire stations and conducting waste management in Vanimo, developing schools in Wutung, and providing scholarships for PNG students," he stated on Wednesday (July 5), as broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.

The president's remarks were made during the joint press conference after meeting Prime Minister James Marape at APEC Haus, Port Moresby, PNG.

During the meeting, Jokowi echoed Indonesia's commitment to advancing cooperation with Pacific countries, including PNG.

The two leaders also discussed efforts to enhance economic cooperation between Indonesia and PNG. The president noted that the bilateral trade value in 2022 had surged to US$307 million.

"We need to increase this by pushing for the continuation of the PTA (preferential trade agreement) deliberation, the establishment of a business council, visits of trade and investment missions, and participation of Indonesian state-owned companies in road construction in PNG," he expounded.

Meanwhile, the president said he welcomed new connectivity initiatives and the resumption of activities in the Indonesia-PNG border.

The head of state commended the new initiatives of the opening of the PNG Express sea route; direct flights from Denpasar, Bali, to Port Moresby; ratification of the Basic Agreement on Border Arrangement; and the reopening of the Skouw-Wutung land border post.

Jokowi said he discussed Indo-Pacific cooperation with Marape. He also conveyed the commitment to increasing engagement between Indonesia and ASEAN and the Pacific region.

"Including by inviting Pacific representatives to the East Asia Summit and organizing the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum," he remarked. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Netherlands will be returning 472 objects of cultural significance to Indonesia and 6 to Sri Lanka, at the request of Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

The decision to return them was made by Secretary of State for Culture and Media Gunay Uslu, following the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Return of Cultural Objects from Colonial Context, chaired by Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You. The works are currently in the collections of the National Museum of World Cultures and the Rijksmuseum.

"The objects were wrongfully brought to the Netherlands during the colonial period, acquired under duress or by looting," the Embassy of Netherlands stated in a release received by VOI News on Thursday.

The objects that belong to Indonesia include the ‘Lombok treasure’ consisting of 335 objects from Lombok, four statues from Singasari, a keris from Klungkung, and 132 objects of modern art from Bali, known as the Pita Maha collection.

The transfer of ownership to Indonesia will take place at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden on 10 July. 

The Advisory Committee on the Return of Cultural Objects from Colonial Context is now considering further requests from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria and will issue its recommendations on these requests later.

“This is a historic moment. It’s the first time we’re following the recommendations of the Committee to give back objects that should never have been brought to the Netherlands. But more than anything, it’s a moment to look to the future. We’re not only returning objects; we’re also embarking on a period of closer cooperation with Indonesia and Sri Lanka in areas like collection research, presentation, and exchanges between museums," Gunay Uslu said.

Previously, Indonesia requested the return of several objects that are of great importance to the country. The history of the objects was studied in detail by the National Museum of World Cultures, in consultation with Indonesian experts.

The Dutch Committee discussed their findings with the Indonesian repatriation committee, which is chaired by the former ambassador of Indonesia to the Netherlands I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja.

Based on the research, the Committee recommended that the objects be returned. (VOI)