Nusa Dua – Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said people smuggling is a violation of transnational law, and therefore the crime should entail harsh punishment as a deterrent.
“Comprehensive tackling of the problem should not only be focused on victims but also on exchange of intelligence and apparatuses concerned,” he said.
Wirajuda was here as a host of the 3rd Bali Regional Ministerial Conference along with his Australian counterpart, Stephen Smith.
Representatives of 41 countries and international institutions attended the two-day conference. They comprised delegates from 33 member countries of the Bali Process, eight observers and eight international organization representatives.
Also present at the meeting were the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Surin Pitsuwan, and UNHCR representatives.
The attendees included 17 foreign ministers and 11 ministerial level officials.
The main topics of the converence included people smuggling, international human trafficking and related transnational crimes.
He said courts, prosecutors’ offices; police and other institutions in many countries have not only uncovered the network but also punished those involved in the crimes.
‘It is clear that the legal dimension is part of the comprehensive effort,” he said.
Smith meanwhile said that methods, ways, equipment used by and coordination among countries dealing with the problem is now improving.
“I see things are starting to improve. Australia is obviously very concerned regarding the problem, and if it could be solved it would certainly help improve regional security,” he said.
After the conference the two ministers issued a joint statement. One of the important things participating countries had agreed was the establishment of an ad hoc institution dedicated to implement concrete responses from regional countries regarding occurrences with in the region.
“The case by case approach will be put forward in line with the request of countries affected by the crimes,” he said.
News by International Bali Post
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