VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. The Myanmar military's use of violence against anti-coup protesters is unacceptable, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has said.

She made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with her Japanese counterpart Motegi Toshimitsu in Tokyo on Monday, where they discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern.

"Indonesia strongly rejects the (Myanmar) security force's use of violence, which led to the death of more than 100 people on March 27, 2021," Marsudi said in an online press statement on Tuesday.

Stating that Japan shared Indonesia’s concerns on the latest developments in Myanmar, she called for an immediate halt to the use of violence to avoid further tragedy and appealed to the conflicting parties to hold dialogs.

"Only by holding dialogs can Myanmar resolve its problem," Marsudi remarked.

Meanwhile, in a written statement released by the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta, Motegi strongly denounced the situation in Myanmar, which has claimed several lives.

He said he warmly welcomed ASEAN's efforts to help resolve the situation in Myanmar, adding he respected Indonesia's chairmanship in the effort.

"By always respecting the non-interference principle, since the beginning ASEAN has offered assistance to Myanmar," Marsudi said.

"Dialogs must be revived to restore democracy, peace and stability in Myanmar," she added.

At least 510 civilians have lost their lives during the two months of anti-coup demonstrations in Myanmar, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

The association also noted that Saturday (March 27, 2021) was the bloodiest day of the anti-coup demonstrations, marked by the death of 141 demonstrators.

Of the 14 fatalities in Myanmar on Monday (March 29, 2021), at least eight deaths were reported in South Dagon district, Yangon, where security forces reportedly used caliber weapons, which are far heavier than the regular weapons used to remove barricades of sandbags, according to eyewitness accounts.  (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Japan and Indonesia pledged on Tuesday to tighten security ties and signed a deal to facilitate transfers of defence equipment and technology, as their near neighbour China expands its economic and military might.

China’s territorial claims in the East and South China seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-U.S. relationship and also raise significant security concerns for Japan.

“I think this is (a) historical first in bilateral relations between Japan and Indonesia,” Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto said, referring to the transfer pact.

“We invite the Japanese side to participate in the modernization of Indonesia’s defence capacity. We also encourage joint training between our services - maritime and also land forces,” he told reporters.

Prabowo made the comment at a joint media appearance in Tokyo following a meeting of the Japanese and Indonesian foreign and defence ministers.

“We exchanged views on the situation in the East and South China seas and shared serious concern about the continuation and strengthening of unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force,” Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said.

The meeting followed a visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who warned China over “coercion and aggression” and criticised what he called Chinese attempts to bully neighbours with competing interests.

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members, which include Indonesia, remain wary of losing access to China’s economy, and are reluctant to become entangled in any confrontation between Washington and Beijing.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also sharply criticized ongoing violence against civilians in Myanmar following its Feb. 1 military coup. “Indonesia strongly denounces this kind of act. It is unacceptable,” she said.

Retno has emerged as a voice for the region as she works to broker talks with the Myanmar military, which has killed more than 500 protesters since staging the coup.

Japan, which has extensive business interests in Myanmar, has so far refrained from meting out sanctions against the military leadership.

But Motegi told parliament on Tuesday that Tokyo, which had been the largest provider of economic assistance to Myanmar, had put its official development assistance on hold. (Reuters)

Jakarta. About 300 Rohingya Muslim refugees were still unaccounted for last week after a huge fire swept through the world’s biggest refugee settlement in Bangladesh, the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday.

“Many families are still being reunited,” Andreij Mahecic, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, told journalists, adding that 11 deaths had been officially declared.

The blaze tore through the cramped camp in southeast Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district last Monday, forcing about 45,000 people from their bamboo and plastic homes. (Reuters)

Jakarta. Saudi Arabia is prepared to support extending oil cuts by OPEC and its allies into June and is also ready to prolong its own voluntary cuts to boost prices amid a new wave of coronavirus lockdowns, a source briefed on the matter said on Monday.

After steady oil price gains earlier this year, OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, had hoped to ease output cuts.

But a fresh wave of lockdowns to prevent a new surge in the virus has pushed oil off this year’s highs, and four OPEC+ sources told Reuters this would most likely encourage the group to extend cuts into May when it meets on Thursday.

The source briefed on the matter said on Monday that Saudi Arabia was keen to extend cuts beyond May and into June.

“They don’t see demand as yet strong enough and want to prevent prices from falling,” the source said.

A Saudi oil source said on Tuesday OPEC+ had not taken any decision yet and discussions about policy had yet to start.

Under existing curbs, OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, and non-OPEC producers, led by Russia, have cut just over 7 million barrels per day (bpd), while Saudi Arabia has made an additional voluntary reduction of 1 million bpd.

Last year, the group agreed to cut 9.7 million bpd, or about 10% of world output, but then eased back as demand recovered.

At a meeting on March 4, OPEC+ surprised the market by deciding to hold output broadly steady, although Russia and Kazakhstan were allowed slight increases.

A source familiar with Russia’s thinking said on Monday, Moscow would support extending cuts again while seeking another small rise in production for itself.

Benchmark Brent crude, which climbed above $71 a barrel shortly after the OPEC+ decision, reaching its highest since the pandemic began, is now trading around $65.

Alongside concerns about the pandemic’s impact on demand, a rise in Iranian oil exports is also prompting caution. Iran has recently boosted shipments despite U.S. sanctions. (Reuters)