VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOI, Jakarta - Myanmar should cooperate with China to maintain stability on their common border, a Chinese official said on Monday, after a surge of fighting in Myanmar between junta forces and insurgents rocked the region.

Last week, Myanmar's ruling military said it was trying to restore order near the border after an alliance of ethnic minority armies battling for self-determination launched a series of coordinated attacks on junta targets.

"Myanmar is called on to cooperate with China to maintain stability along the China-Myanmar border, earnestly ensure the safety of the lives and property of Chinese border residents, and take effective measures to strengthen the security of Chinese personnel," said Nong Rong, assistant Chinese foreign minister.

A spokesperson for Myanmar's ruling military was not immediately available for comment.

The Asia Times news site reported that one Chinese citizen was killed and several were wounded on Saturday when a shell fired by the Myanmar military over-shot its target and struck on the Chinese side of the border.

Nong, who visited Myanmar on Nov. 3-5, said China hoped Myanmar would restore stability, and it supported all parties to properly handle differences and achieve reconciliation through dialogue as soon as possible.

Thailand is trying to bring home 162 of its nationals trapped by the fighting in Myanmar.

Myanmar has been in chaos since a military coup in February 2021 unseated a democratically elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. (Reuters)

VOI, Jakarta - The United States, South Korea and Japan have agreed to launch a high-level consultative group on countering North Korean cyber activities that they say finance its unlawful weapons programs, South Korea's presidential office said on Monday.

Anne Neuberger, U.S. deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, held talks with her South Korean and Japanese counterparts in Washington last week. They agreed to hold quarterly meetings under the new framework, the presidential office said.

"It is aimed at strengthening the three countries' effective response capabilities against global cyber threats, including jointly countering North Korea's cyber activities that are abused as a key source funding its nuclear and WMD programs," the office said in a statement.

The announcement comes after the leaders of the three countries agreed at a summit in August at Camp David that they would establish a new trilateral working group for the North's cyber threats.

Sanctions monitors have accused North Korea of using cyberattacks to gather funds for its nuclear and missile programs, and a United Nations report said the North stepped up its cryptocurrency theft last year, using sophisticated techniques to steal more in 2022 than any other year.

North Korea has denied allegations of hacking or other cyberattacks. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - The construction team for the Indonesia Hospital in Palestine's besieged Gaza Strip denied Israel's accusation regarding the existence of a tunnel underneath the medical facility.

"Israel's accusation regarding a tunnel underneath the Indonesia Hospital in Gaza Strip is completely not true," head of the construction team, Farid Thalid, confirmed in Jakarta on Monday.

The accusation was made following the surfacing of several photos claiming the existence of a tunnel underneath the Indonesian Hospital, Thalid remarked.

A release from Israel stated that the place referred to as the tunnel was a place suspected to support a Palestinian freedom fighter group's movement.

However, Thalid denied the accusation since it had no evidence. Moreover, the hospital, which was built from donations from all Indonesians, was established solely for the Palestinian humanitarian mission.

In addition, the Indonesian Hospital in the Gaza Strip is the only hope for Palestinians in northern Gaza for medical treatment.

According to the latest data by MER-C Indonesia, the hospital is currently treating five thousand Palestinian civilians in Gaza following Israel's bombardment on the overcrowded enclave, which is home to more than two million people, after the military wing of Hamas that rules Gaza attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Hence, Thalid, who is also a member of the Presidium of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) Indonesia, stated that his side will coordinate with Indonesia's Foreign Ministry to seek accountability from those who have disseminated the accusation.

"Whatever happens, the hospital must not be disrupted for humanitarian reasons," he emphasized.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi called on Israel to stop killing civilians and attacking civilian facilities, such as hospitals, mosques, and churches.

She also confirmed that the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza is the only active hospital to treat victims of the Israeli and Palestinian War.

The Indonesian Government has also delivered humanitarian aid for Gaza residents. The first batch of the aid packages containing food, medical equipment, blankets, tents, and logistics had departed on November 4. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi called on Israel to stop killing civilians and attacking civilian facilities, such as hospitals, mosques, and churches, in the Gaza Strip.

"Please obey international humanitarian law. The United States Secretary-General once reminded regarding laws at war," she stated in a video recording delivered by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday.

Marsudi then confirmed that the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza would continue to operate to treat victims of the Israel-Hamas conflict despite fuel supplies running low.

The minister also continues to communicate with three MER-C volunteers -- Fikri Rofiul Haq, Reza Aldilla Kurniawan, and Farid Zanzabil Al Ayubi -- at the hospital to ensure their safety.

The three Indonesian volunteers chose to stay in Gaza to continue their humanitarian work.

The Indonesian Hospital in the Gaza Strip is the only hope for Palestinians in northern Gaza amid increasing attacks from Israel that has been bombarding the region non-stop since Palestinian militant forces, Hamas, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

MER-C humanitarian organization volunteer Fikri Rofiul Haq stated that several fatalities and injured victims were rushed to the Indonesian Hospital, as it was the only health service with adequate facilities in northern Gaza.

"Indonesian Hospital is the largest hospital in northern Gaza. Many injured and dead victims were brought here," he told ANTARA on November 4.

However, the Indonesian Hospital in the Gaza Strip is currently experiencing an energy crisis due to no electricity network. The hospital currently only relies on two generators for its operation.

Unfortunately, one of the two generators was damaged, while the other generator that was still functioning was constrained by limited fuel supply.

The limited fuel is caused by the Israeli blockade that prevents supplies from entering the Gaza Strip.

"The Indonesian hospital actually has solar panels, but they can only be used during the day and cannot power all hospital equipment. Therefore, we still rely on the generator," Haq revealed.

He also said that currently, more than two thousand refugees are accommodated in the Indonesian hospital. (Antaranews)