VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 17 - A U.N. team of investigators on Myanmar appealed on Wednesday for people to collect and preserve documentary evidence of crimes ordered by the military since the Feb. 1 coup in order to build cases against its leaders.

More than 180 protesters have been killed by security forces trying to crush a wave of demonstrations since the junta seized power in the Southeast Asian nation, says activist group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

“The persons most responsible for the most serious international crimes are usually those in high leadership positions,” Nicholas Koumjian, the head of the Geneva-based U.N. team, said in a statement.

“They are not the ones who physically perpetrate the crimes and often are not even present at the locations where the crimes are committed.

“To prove their responsibility requires evidence of reports received, orders given and how policies were set.”People with such information should contact the investigators through secure means of communication, he added, citing apps such as Signal or a ProtonMail account.

A junta spokesman did not answer telephone calls seeking comment.

On Tuesday, the U.N. human rights office condemned the use of live ammunition against the protesters.

“They are completely unchecked and getting more brutal every day. It’s a calculated escalation of brutality,” a senior U.N. official, declining to be identified, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since its military ousted the elected government of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, detaining her and members of her party, drawing wide international condemnation.

The U.N. investigators are collecting evidence of the use of lethal force, unlawful arrests, torture and detentions of people whose families are not told of their whereabouts, the statement said.

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar was set up by the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2018 to consolidate evidence of the most serious crimes. It aims to build case files for proceedings in national, regional or international courts. (Reuters)

Mar. 17 - Pope Francis appealed on Wednesday for an end to bloodshed in Myanmar, saying: “Even I kneel on the streets of Myanmar and say ‘stop the violence’”.

Francis made the appeal, his latest since a Feb. 1 coup, at the end of his weekly general audience, held remotely from the Vatican library because of COVID-19 restrictions.

More than 180 protesters have been killed as security forces try to crush a wave of demonstrations.

“One more time and with much sadness I feel the urgency to talk about the dramatic situation in Myanmar, where many people, most of them young, are losing their lives in order to offer hope to their country,” he said.

In language symbolising what protesters have done, Francis said: “Even I kneel on the streets of Myanmar and say ‘stop the violence.’ Even I open my arms and say ‘Let dialogue prevail’.”

Francis, who visited Myanmar in 2017, said: “Blood does not resolve anything. Dialogue must prevail.” (Reuters)

Mar. 17 - Budget for the cash labor-intensive program has increased, from Rp12.18 trillion to Rp23.24 trillion after refocusing efforts in 2021, according to Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.

"The program is being streamlined to implement the cash labor-intensive program that was originally budgeted at Rp12.18 trillion and then increased to Rp23.24 trillion. (The program is implemented) through 20 activities and expected to absorb 1.23 million workers," Minister Hadimuljono stated at a work meeting with Commission V of the House of Representatives here on Wednesday.

Hadimuljono highlighted that the program aimed at expanding the cash labor-intensive programs while efforts were refocused on sharpening and expanding the program in accordance with President Joko Widodo's expectations.

This year's budget for the cash labor-intensive program is allocated for water resources through eight activities, with a budget value of Rp7.15 trillion and is expected to absorb 386,159 workers.

Some Rp6.69 trillion is budgeted for road and bridge construction that is implemented through five activities. The government expects 273,603 workers to be absorbed through the funds.

Meanwhile, Rp5.29 trillion is allocated for the housing sector that is implemented through six activities, with an estimated workforce absorption of 194,471 people.

Some Rp4.11 trillion is budgeted for the housing sector that is implemented through one activity, and 378,460 people are estimated to be absorbed.

The cash labor-intensive program is a program wherein the funds are not reduced in the steps taken by the PUPR Ministry in 2021. (Antaranews)

Mar. 17 - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin vouched for the safety of COVID-19 vaccination for people on fast and deems it unnecessary to forego fasting as long as the vaccine recipients were in good physical condition.

"The MUI (Indonesian Ulama Council) fatwa (edict) has been issued. Vaccination in the month of Ramadan does not invalidate fasting," Vice President Amin remarked after receiving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Amin, concurrently the MUI Advisory Council chairman, elucidated that vaccines do not enter the human body through the openings of the ears, nostrils, and mouth, so it did not invalidate the fasting of Muslims.

"That is because (the vaccine) does not enter through the openings in the body. What invalidates fasting is what enters through the nostrils, mouth, and ears. Since this vaccine is not injected through those holes, it does not invalidate fasting," he expounded.

Head of the MUI Fatwa Division Asrorun Niam Sholeh noted in Jakarta on Tuesday (Mar 16) that the MUI Fatwa Commission had reached a decision at a plenary meeting that COVID-19 vaccination during Ramadan did not invalidate fasting.

"The government can offer COVID-19 vaccination during the month of Ramadan to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 by paying attention to the condition of Muslims, who are fasting," Sholeh remarked.

The MUI also recommends that the COVID-19 vaccine be injected at night or after breaking the fast since candidates for receiving the vaccination are physically weak on account of fasting.

"Vaccination can be conducted at night during the month of Ramadan for Muslims, who fast during the day (if) it is feared that it will cause harm due to their weak physical condition," he stated. (Antaranews)