Jokowi Says Colonization of Palestine Must End Immediately

Jakarta Globe, Ezra Sihite & Novy Lumanauw, Apr 21, 2015

President Joko Widodo says he fully supports Palestinian independence.
 (Antara Foto/Wahyu Putro A)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo has reiterated his support for an independent Palestine, vowing Indonesia would push for Palestinian membership in the United Nations.

“Palestine is the only nation still under colonization. This must end immediately,” Joko told delegates of the Asian-African Conference in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The nations of Asia and Africa “owe the Palestinian people six decades,” Joko said, referring to the inaugural Asian-African Conference in 1955, convened by leaders of the newly independent states of both continents who came out strongly in favor of the principle of self-determination for all.

Leaders attending the 2015 Asian-African Conference will similarly issue a statement in support of an independent Palestine, along with declarations to reiterate the 1955 Bandung Spirit and to underline new partnerships among Asian and African countries.  

 

Representatives from countries attending the Asian-African Conference have indicated general agreement to support the Palestinians’ bid for statehood.

The wording of the final declaration is still being negotiated.

Attending countries have also expressed interest in starting or strengthening economic, social and cultural cooperation with the Palestinian National Authority.

‘Palestine’s friend’

On Tuesday, Joko met Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah to discuss boosting bilateral partnerships in trade and religious affairs.

Responding to the president’s expression of support for Palestinian independence and a UN seat, Hamdallah said: “President Joko is Palestine’s friend.”

Speaking after the meeting, Joko announced Indonesia and the Palestinian Authority had agreed on establishing an Indonesian diplomatic mission in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

“We have asked for permission to open a consulate office in Ramallah and the prime minister said he would support such a plan,” Joko told Tempo.co. “The consulate will help facilitate relations between Indonesia and Palestine in the future.”

The two nations have also agreed to work on greater cooperation in trade, with  Hamdallah suggesting a tax exemption for Palestinian products.

“We still need to review the suggestion. If it is possible, we will do it,” Joko said.

Throughout his presidential campaign last year, Joko repeatedly expressed his pro-Palestinian stance while condemning  Israeli attacks on Gaza.

His position first emerged during a presidential debate in June, at a time when his support among Muslim voters was flagging following a smear campaign that questioned his Islamic faith.

The Bandung Spirit refers to a set of principles first emphasized during the inaugural Asian-African Conference in 1955. It stresses the importance of peaceful coexistence and includes the promotion of economic and cultural cooperation, the protection of human rights and the principle of self-determination.

Investment friendly

The president on Tuesday opened the Asian-African Business Summit, one of several events at the conference.

In his opening speech, Joko asked delegates from both continents to create friendlier investment climates by simplifying the processes for obtaining various business licenses and permits.

He pointed to Indonesia’s own attempts with its newly launched one-stop investment licensing service.

Joko failed to mention, however, that his administration came close to foiling the program by introducing a language policy for foreign workers, requiring all expatriates to pass an Indonesian fluency test.

The president then added that both Asia and Africa had huge untapped economic potential, calling for more trade between the two continents.

Asia’s exports to Africa make up just 26 percent of the continent’s total export figures. Conversely, Africa’s export to Asia make up only 3 percent of the goods the continent sells overseas.

An increase in trade would made countries of both continents less dependent on  Western markets and thus, their political influence, Joko said.

“I believe investment opportunities in the two regions are huge, especially for the manufacturing, agricultural, infrastructure and energy industries. I am glad that these sectors are being discussed in this summit,” the president said.

He added that Indonesia was keen to expand its market in Africa, particularly in the garment industry.

“I think it is important for us to promote [Indonesian] products sold overseas. There are so many of them,” he said. “The current cooperation [with African countries] is nowhere near its real potential.”

International business expert Tirta Nugraha Mursitama of Bina Nusantara University pointed out that Indonesia still had a lot to learn from China, which has aggressively invested and expanded its presence in Africa in recent years.

“China is not only strong in Asia but also Africa. We must follow this example. We also have large state-owned enterprises but we need one strong state-owned holdings company like Singapore’s Temasek,” he said.

He urged Joko to appoint an agency to coordinate Indonesia’s trading policies, a measure that Japan and Malaysia have already taken.