Preventing Noise, Prof Hikmahanto Suggests RI-Nigeria Ministry Of Foreign Affairs To Form TPF To Investigate Allegations Of Diplomatic Violence

UI Professor of International Law Hikmahanto Juwana (ANTARA/Puspa Perwitasari)

JAKARTA - UI Professor of International Law, Prof. Hikmahanto Juwana, suggested the formation of a fact-finding team (TPF) to seek clues over the commotion between Nigerian diplomats and immigration officials on 7 August.

Prof. Hikmahanto said that the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs should propose the formation of a joint team of two countries to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out the facts of the incident so as not to invite public anger in the country.

The fact-finding team will investigate what really happened. Are there actions from each party that are not appropriate?

"The results of the fact-finding team must be announced transparently so that it can reduce anger at the public level, especially in Nigeria", Hikmahanto said in an electronic message, Antara, Tuesday, August 12.

If the fact-finding team finds someone guilty, of course, each country needs to take action.

"Strict action against anyone guilty because Nigeria and Indonesia do not need to facilitate adventurers who wear state clothes to damage relations between the two countries", he said.

Following the commotion, he said, the Nigerian government has withdrawn its ambassador from Jakarta. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has conveyed the chronology of the incident to provide context for the video that went viral in the community.

This video has reached the Nigerian media and public and sparked outrage against Indonesia.

"If this tension is not handled properly, it can certainly damage relations between the two countries, whether diplomatic, commercial, or socio-cultural", said Hikmahanto.