Indonesia voted against a UN resolution reaffirming the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle, joining states like China and North Korea. The resolution, introduced by Croatia, garnered overwhelming support from 115 member states. Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry clarified that the vote does not indicate opposition to R2P but rather a belief that the topic has already been sufficiently addressed in prior discussions.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has overwhelmingly decided to include the issue of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) on its annual agenda. In a significant vote held at UN headquarters in New York, Indonesia positioned itself alongside several undemocratic nations, such as China and North Korea, by voting against a resolution that seeks to reaffirm R2P, a vital international principle designed to prevent atrocities. The resolution, introduced by Croatia, mandates the UN Secretary-General to provide annual reports on R2P, aiming to address responsibilities that nations have towards their populations in cases of potential genocide, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes. Support for the resolution was robust, with 115 member states, including notable ASEAN countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, casting votes in favor. Conversely, Indonesia was among 15 countries to vote “no,” alongside a further 28 nations that chose to abstain, sparking scrutiny over its dedication to preventing crimes against humanity. Addressing concerns regarding Indonesia’s vote, Febrian Ruddyard, the Foreign Ministry’s Director General for Multilateral Affairs, clarified that the country does not oppose R2P outright. He articulated that while there was acknowledgment of R2P at the 2005 World Summit, Indonesia believes the matter has already been sufficiently addressed and that the UNGA should focus on resolving existing uncertainties surrounding its implementation. R2P emerged from a collective international failure to avert tragedies such as the Rwandan genocide and the Srebrenica massacre during the mid-1990s, underscoring the need for proactive measures to protect populations from mass violation of human rights.
The topic of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is fundamentally aimed at safeguarding populations from serious human rights violations such as genocides, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing. This principle originated to rectify the international community’s lapses in preventing atrocities, evidenced tragically in events like the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. The 2005 World Summit witnessed consensus among UN member states acknowledging R2P as a critical norm. The recent vote to place R2P on the annual UNGA agenda is a vital step in reinforcing this commitment, as it entails annual reporting and discussions on the concept and its implementation, promoting a robust international response to humanitarian crises.
In conclusion, Indonesia’s vote against the UN resolution on Responsibility to Protect raises significant questions about its commitment to international norms aimed at preventing mass atrocities. The support for the resolution from the majority of the international community, including several ASEAN nations, contrasts sharply with Indonesia’s stance. While the Foreign Ministry expressed that Indonesia does not oppose R2P itself, the decision to vote ‘no’ reflects a complex perspective on the concept’s current relevance and implementation challenges. As the UNGA progresses, the implications of such voting patterns may influence regional and global perspectives on humanitarian accountability and governance.
Original Source: www.thejakartapost.com
