Bara Krishna Hasibuan, Member of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (BKSAP) of the Indonesian House of Representatives, believed the 14 pacific countries participated in the Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Partnership (IPPP) have a significant role to support Indonesia in international fora.

“While they are relatively small countries, their voices are as significant as other countries in the world. Therefore, it is important that we cooperate with those countries. They can be our lobbying powers,” said Hasibuan after the opening session of the IPPP in Jakarta, Monday (23/72018). The IPPP was opened by the Speaker of the Indonesian House, H.E. Bambang Soesatyo. 

As the biggest archipelagic country intersecting two oceans, Indonesia has various potential enviromental issues and conflicts which could threaten its teritorial sovereignty, i.e., the (West) Papua issue. Therefore, in this very occassion, the Indonesian House explained to the Pacific Countries that Papua was an integral part of the Republic of Indonesia.

 “This issue is very sensitive. It requires us to have as much international support as possible, especially from the Pacific Countries to the teritorial integrity of  Indonesia, for it is widely known there are certain countries among them who openly support the West Papua (Movement). We must be proactive to avert and to counter it,” affirmed Hasibuan.

According to Hasibuan, the IPPP was a strategic forum considering that all the participants were archipelagic countries, so they had common issues, and the visions to solve them.

In addition to asserting that (West) Papua was an integral part of the Indonesian Territory, he added that this meeting also pointed out on environmental issues; they were Climate Change, Maritime affairs, and BlueEconomy.

 “Considering the important role of ocean for our life sustainability, through this forum Indonesia – Pacific will contribute to minimizing the challenging issues in the Pacific region,” he said. (apr/sf-muiz)