Calls For Humanitarian Workers Protection, Foreign Minister Retno: What Is Witnessed In Gaza Cannot Be Tolerated

Foreign Minister Retno attended a meeting on the protection of humanitarian workers. (Twitter/@Menlu_RI)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is concerned about the conditions experienced by humanitarian workers in conflict areas, including in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, highlighting what happened in the conflict between the Hamas-Israel militant group.

This was said by Foreign Minister Retno when she was present at the establishment of the Ministerial Group for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, which was initiated by Australia, on the sidelines of the High Level Week of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York, United States.

The formation of this group is aimed at encouraging commitment to enforcing international humanitarian law and protecting workers or humanitarian actors in conflict areas.

Located at Australia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, representatives from a number of countries met to highlight the increasing number of casualties among humanitarian workers in various parts of the world, including in Gaza.

In 2023, there were more than 280 humanitarian workers who were victims of various armed conflicts, more than half of which were recorded in Gaza.

Indonesia itself affirms its commitment to protecting humanitarian actors in the midst of increasingly uncertain global situations.

Appreciate FM @SenatorWong of Australia for hosting Small Group Meeting of Ministers “Championing the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel” (23/9). Underscored the importance of full compliance of the IHL, also strengthening UN system & international humanitarian collaboration pic.twitter.com/4nD6ncXTWH

— Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia (@Menlu_RI) September 24, 2024

Appreciate FM @SenatorWong of Australia for hosting Small Group Meeting of Ministers Championing the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel (23/9). Underscored the importance of full compliance of the IHL, also tensioning UN system & international humanitarian collaboration pic.twitter.com/4nD6ncXTWH

"In 2024 it seems that it will be a gloomy year. What we witnessed in Gaza, with humanitarian workers who died as a result of airstrikes and polio vaccine convoys being attacked, is completely intolerable," said Foreign Minister Retno, in a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday, September 25.

It said this was a strong warning to the international community about the importance of protection for humanitarian workers in the field.

The Indonesian Foreign Minister at the meeting also conveyed the importance of ensuring respect and compliance with international humanitarian law, including to protect humanitarian actors as neutral parties and ensure the absence of impunity in humanitarian law violations.

In addition, the Foreign Minister also emphasized the need to strengthen the UN work system and synergy of international humanitarian cooperation to overcome challenges in protecting humanitarian actors in armed conflict areas.

As one of the efforts, the Indonesian Foreign Minister conveyed the good practice and leadership of Indonesia through the initiation of the Regional Conference on Humanitarian Assistance (RCHA) in 2024. RCHA, which was previously held in 2019 and 2021, aims to facilitate the cooperation and partnership of all stakeholders for the issue of humanitarian assistance at all levels in the Asia Pacific Region.

At the end of the meeting, the countries present agreed on a Joint Statement that inaugurated the establishment of the Ministerial Group for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, affirming a shared commitment to uphold international humanitarian law and encouraging concrete actions in protecting humanitarian workers in conflict areas.

This Joint Statement was supported by Foreign Ministers from nine countries, namely Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, England, Japan, Brazil, and Colombia.