Jakarta Globe, Feb 11, 2015
Jakarta.
North Korea has lodged a diplomatic protest with the Indonesian government over
a South Korean symposium on human rights in the secretive dictatorship held in
a Jakarta hotel on Tuesday.
North
Korea’s ambassador to Indonesia, Ri Jong Ryul, said he had filed a protest with
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Palace as well as Joko Widodo’s
political party and even Interpol.
“Indonesia
and North Korea have been very close so far, please stop such symposiums that
denounce our country. We respect the dignity and sovereignty of other
countries,” Ri said in Jakarta on Wednesday, as quoted by Indonesian news
portal Tempo.co.
The
international symposium hosted by the South Korean Human Rights Commission, the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and the Asean Intergovernmental
Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), was held in the Sultan hotel on Tuesday.
The
symposium was attended by the South Korean ambassador to Indonesia, Cho
Tai-young.
Ri said he
has filed a protest before the event began.
“However,
prior to the symposium commencing at 11 a.m [the government of Indonesia] had
not responded to our diplomatic note,” Ri said.
Ri said
that a repeat of such an event could damage bilateral ties between Indonesia
and North Korea, adding that Tuesday’s event promoted rumors and hatred against
North Korea.
Rafendi
Djamin of AICHR said he had been informed of North Korean’s objection and that
a North Korean diplomat came to the symposium to read a protest statement in
front of journalists covering the event.
“I heard
North Korea was disappointed they were not invited to this event,” Rafendi
said.
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