VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Throughout human history, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life. Today, globalization, together with advances in communications and transportation, has greatly increased the number of people who have the desire and the capacity to move to other places.

This new era has created challenges and opportunities for societies throughout the world. It also has served to underscore the clear linkage between migration and development, as well as the opportunities it provides for co-development, that is, the concerted improvement of economic and social conditions at both origin and destination.

Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays. Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions. The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities.

On September 19, 2016 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of commitments during its first ever summit on large movements of refugees and migrants to enhance the protection of refugees and migrants. These commitments are known as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (NY Declaration). The NY Declaration reaffirms the importance of the international protection regime and represents a commitment by Member States to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move. It paves the way for the adoption of two new global compacts in 2018: the global compact on refugees and the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. (un.org)

The ongoing demonstrations in Paris that triggered riots have become a test poins for the credibility and continuation of French President Emmanuel Macron administration. The protests, which took place every Saturday, ended with riots spreading into a movement to bring down President Macron. The action known as the mass action of the Yellow Vest last Saturday caused 92 people including police officers injured in the riots.

It  was originally started by residents of the suburbs of Paris who protested the government's decision to increase the price of fuel oil and taxes. It then   turned into chaos. Middle class citizens who are worried about Macron's policies, joined in  and made a wave of demonstrations anddemanded  Macron to step down.

The pressure of the protesters caused Prime Minister Edouard Philippe meet up  with two representatives of the protesters. However, he  failed to stop the next demonstration which wasfollowed by even more citizens of Paris and its surroundings. According to some  polls 72 percent citizenssupport the Yellow Vest. However, 90 percent of  French people   rejected acts of violence. President Emanuel Macron has demanded legal responsibility of the demonstrators due to riots that occurred and caused damage.

In fact, President Macron had succumbed to revoking his policy by delaying the fuel tax increase which resulted in rising fuel prices throughout France. Nevertheless the demonstration resumed with the demand for the resignation of Macron who has been in office for  for just 18 months. For the President of France who is the youngest head of state in French history, this wave of demonstrations is a test of his policy and continuity of government.

Whether the demonstrations in France,  which are  the biggest and worst ever,  will be the trigger for a  political movement that will determine the end of Macron's government, remain  to be seen. Macron's failure to overcome this political crisis will show whether the youngest Presidentin the French history, will also be the shortest-serving President due to his policies which caused massive demonstrations or not.

The United Nations (UN) effort to end the civil war in Yemen has progressed. The conflicting parties, namely the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni Government are willing to attend the peace talks in Sweden. Scheduled to take place in the near future, the meeting will likely be implemented. This was marked by the good faith in the form of evacuating dozens of wounded Houthi rebels in the Yemeni capital. Evacuation efforts are reportedly carried out by the Saudi-led military coalition. This step, which is a step forward, gives hope of a change of attitude between the two conflicting  parties.

Previously, the UN's efforts to find a peaceful solution through the negotiating table  were planned to take place last September.  It  was canceledbecause at that time the Houthi rebels considered the UN had not fully guaranteed protection for  them.

The cancellation of the negotiations last September did not dampen the spirit of the United Nations in seeking a peaceful way. The world body continues to persuade the Houthi militant group to the negotiating table in Stockholm. The road to this direction shows hope when the Saudi-backed military coalition evacuates around 50 Houthis from the city of Sanaa. Along with that, the UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffith, was also present in Yemen to persuade the Houthi rebels to go to the negotiating table in Stockholm.

The arrival of the UN envoy in Yemen was also intended to pressure Saudi Arabia to reduce the blockade of the main Sanaa airport which has been controlled by Houthi militants a few years ago.

The international community hopes that the UN step to reconcile the two conflicting parties in Yemen has been realized. Efforts to bring together rival countrymen at the negotiating table are expected to be the first step towards peace. However, it will still depend on two countries known to have interfered in the conflict in Yemen. Namely, Saudi Arabia which  is supporting the government, and Iran which  is behind the strength of the Houthi rebels. The wil of the two countries shall  determine whether the conflict in Yemen can be stopped or not. So that people in that country can enjoy peace and harmony again .

That was commentary

Indonesia is a country that consists of more than 13,000 islands, 250 ethnicities and various kinds of cultures that are a source of national strength and potential. Thus, the 2018 Indonesian Culture Congress held on December 5-9 becomes very important for the influences of foreign cultures that enter without limits through various media. Moreover, the domestic political situation ahead of the 2019 Election currently tends to heat up and potentially lead to nation’s split. It takes thoughts and willingness to accept and respect differences, both related to the culture of the Indonesian nation and other nations’.

 At the closing of the 2018 Indonesian Culture Congress, last Sunday (9/12), President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of the spirit of tolerance in interacting amid the complexity of today's culture. He argued that interaction in various matters, including word contestation and politics would result in utterances of jealousy and hatred if not accompanied by tolerance.Therefore, President Joko Widodo took for examplethat at present, Indonesia needs a stage of tolerant interaction.

Meanwhile, Director General of Culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Hilmar Farid said that facing other differences and influences,Indonesian people have to position culture as inclusive one. Because, the characteristics of inclusive culture are mutual learning, knowing each other, knowing each other's views, understanding each other, and empathizing. So, tolerance will arise from understanding, instead of doctrine.

The 2018 Indonesian Culture Congress is expected to be a significant event to work and produce various ideas for the progress of the Indonesian nation in the future. Naturally, the discussion of cultural strategies that have been going on for 10 years, often leads to delays due to various interests. Fortunately, there are points in the Cultural Strategic Agenda that have been successfully formulated at the 2018 Cultural Congress. These points are to provide space for the diversity of cultural expressions and encourage cultural interaction to strengthen the inclusive culture. This is expected to be a reference in handling and maintaining the sustainability of national culture.

Then, the results of the congress become recommendation to be immediately followed up by the government as the regulator of the Indonesiannation. However, the effectiveness of the Cultural Strategic Agenda does not have to depend on the government alone. The Indonesian people must love and feel proud as part of the Indonesian nation. Thus, all stakeholders have to maintain and respect each other and agree on the values of the diversity of the Indonesian nation in a culture.