UN Helpless in Saving Palestine: Jokowi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo called on heads of state of Asian-African countries to make endeavors to reinforce the United Nations (U.N). According to Jokowi, the U.N. has been helpless in addressing global conflicts and violence in a number of countries, including Palestine. Jokowi also pinpointed the broadening gap between developed and poor countries. 

“Hundreds of people in the northern hemisphere are staggeringly rich, while 1.6 billion people in the southern part of the world are starving. The U.N. is clearly helpless. Violence occurs in the absence of a U.N. mandate,” Jokowi said in an opening speech at the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). 

Jokowi said Asian-African countries must urge the U.N. to beef up its efforts in addressing global inequalities and violence. “We, as Asian-African nations, urge a reform at the U.N. so that it can optimally function for all nations.”

Jokowi also called on Asian-African countries to support Palestinian independence. According to Jokowi, Asian-African countries should not turn a blind eye to what happened in Palestine.

“The world is helpless seeing Palestine suffer because of oppression. We cannot turn our backs to Palestinian people’s sufferings,” Jokowi said.

ANANDA TERESIA