House of Representative Ask International Community Stop Pressuring Sudan

Indonesia and Sudan ask international community to stop all attempts to pressure the government and people of Sudan. This appeal was incorporated in the Joint Statement signed by the Chairman of the Bilateral Cooperation Group (GKSB) Indonesia Sudan, Muhammad Baghowi and the Vice Chairman of International Relations of the Parliament of Sudan, Dr. El Tigani Mustafa in Khartoum, Sudan (27/12/2011).

The Vice Chairman of Commission I of the Democratic Party, Hayono Isman—acting as the Chair of Indonesian Delegation—conveyed his deep concern for what the international community has done to Sudan over these years.

“We support all kinds of efforts made by the government of Sudan to resolve the conflicts in Darfur, South Cordovan and Blue Nile State,” he asserted.

He also added that the Indonesian House of Representative could empathize with the government and people of Sudan.
“Therefore, we want to once again show support towards all the measures taken by the government of Sudan in resolving its internal conflicts,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, after the statement signing, the Chairman of GKSB from Sudan, El Tigani Mustafa expressed his thanks for this support.

He also stated that Sudan would continue to increase bilateral relations with the Indonesian House of Representative through more concrete cooperation in the future.

Alawiyah, a member of Sudanese Parliament who was present at the bilateral meeting, disclosed attempts from certain parties to deliberately distort the facts regarding Darfur, South Cordovan and Blue Nile State.

“Certain parties keep imposing pressure to the government of Sudan by using the issue of Darfur, South Cordovan and Blue Nile State as an excuse. There have been continued attempts to distort the facts of what has happened in these three regions as to tarnish the name of Sudan and make Sudan as if it’s a country in conflict that should be avoided,” said Alawiyah with a sharp tone.

Responding to the statement, Hayono Isman reasserted the rejection from Indonesian House of Representative to the ICC’s demands addressed to President El Bashir and Minister of Defense Hussein.

“On behalf of the Indonesian House of Representative, we repeat our commitment to reject all ICC’s demands addressed to President El Bashir and Minister of Defense Hussein and ask for all parties to honor the supremacy and integrity of Sudan as a sovereign country,” he said after the bilateral meeting at the Sudanese Parliament Building.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for El Bashir to be brought on trial in the ICC Headquarter in Den Haag on the charges of crime against humanity and genocide in Darfur.

In December 2011, the International Court of Justice also pressed similar charges against Minister of Defense Hussein yang who at the time serve as the Sudanese Minister of Domestic Affairs. These charges were vehemently refuted by the government of Sudan, African Union, League of Arab States and OIC.

Besides these two issues, the joint statement also contains support from the two parliaments for both governments to establish a Cooperation Agreement on Manpower.

Muhammad Baghowi said that this cooperation served as a concrete concern from the Indonesian House of Representative on efforts to provide maximum protection to Indonesian Migrant Workers, especially those who work in formal sectors, and also to seize the existing opportunity.

He added that besides manpower sector, the GKSB also perceived the importance for Indonesia to grasp other opportunities, such as economic and investment opportunity, considering only few states currently eyeing the potentials of Sudan.

Indonesian Ambassador to Sudan and Eritrea, Dr. Sujatmiko who accompanied Indonesian delegation throughout the visit stated that his staff would soon coordinate with the related Sudanese parties to formulate the draft of the said agreement.

Sujatmiko also added that it was due to sign this agreement, taking into account the increasing number of Indonesian Migrant Workers in Sudan, especially skilled and semi skilled workers.

“Within the past year, the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum has been actively promoting skilled Indonesian Migrant Workers to various companies in Sudan. The result was at least 6 large Sudanese companies, which specialize in construction, health, oil and printing sectors, have requested the Government of Indonesia to send its workers to the two Nile Rivers state,” he explained.

Meanwhile, El Tigani assured that his side guarantees the rights and safety of these Indonesian Migrant Workers both in Sudan’s formal and informal sectors through a Law that is currently under the discussion by the Sudanese Parliament.

Both parties also reaffirmed their commitment to support each other in regional and international Parliamentary organizations.

Furthermore, both also reaffirmed their endorsement towards the independence of Palestine, while congratulating Palestine for its election as a member of UNESCO in Paris awhile ago.

The GKSB delegation visited Sudan on 25-28 December 2011. The visit was a follow up to the visit from the Deputy Head of Indonesian House of Representative, Annis Matta and a number of parliament members to Sudan in March 2011.

The delegation also included Iskan Qolba Lubis (Commission V, PKS), Dr. Muhammad Firdaus (Commission XI, PKS) and Bachrudin Syarkawie (Commission IV, PDIP).

On sidelines of the visit, the delegation also organized meetings with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Ali Ahmed Karti; the Chairman and Member of the Regional Representative Council; the President of SUDAPET (an oil company owned by the government of Sudan); and, the President Director of the Sudan Currency Printing Press. The delegation also had a chance to meet face to face with Indonesian citizens in Sudan at the Indonesian Ambassador’s Residence in Khartoum. (Source: Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum/ed.Yo2k)