The process begins: Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (at the podium-left) leads the Fourth Bali Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes — also known as the Bali Process. He is accompanied by Australia’s Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd (right). (Antara/Nyoman Budhiana)
Co-chairs Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd officially launched the Fourth Bali Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes, dubbed the Bali Process, at a hotel in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Wednesday.
“This forum should continue to provide a regional framework for addressing the challenges on these issues. These issues are multidimensional and multifaceted, and therefore the framework should be comprehensive and inclusive. This forum has to provide a solution for all nations affected and I am confident that we are heading in the right direction,” Marty said in his opening speech.
He highlighted the importance of the role of law enforcers.
“Our approach is multi-pronged. It involves not only socio-economic agencies, but also law enforcement agencies. We need to continue strengthening the capacity of our law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Rudd, meanwhile, emphasized the significant increase in numbers of refugees and asylum seekers around the world.
“There will be new transit countries; there will be new destination countries.
“This forum is among 15 regional processes on the way, worldwide,” Rudd said, stressing how important the issues had become for many countries around the globe.
The forum, initiated by Indonesia and Australia in 2002, involves officials from 41 Asia-Pacific countries that have been affected by a continued increase of people smuggling cases, mostly related to those seeking refugee status and asylum in Australia.
Officials from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IMO) are also attending the conference as observers. The two organizations, along with Indonesia, Australia, Thailand and New Zealand, have been appointed as members of the conference steering group.
A senior officials meeting was held on Tuesday as a preliminary discussion prior to the conference, but was off limits to the media.
Indonesia has been considered a vital player in the issue since the country has been used as a transit point for illegal immigrants seeking Australian asylum. Asylum-seekers from the Middle East and Sri Lanka are also believed to have used Indonesian people smugglers’ services to take them to Australia.
Source: thejakartapost.com
Bali Process IV begins; set to establish framework on trafficking | The Jakarta Post
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