Indonesia voices condolences for Morsi’s passing

By Iqbal Musyaffa and Erric Permana

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - Indonesia Wednesday offered condolences to the family of Egypt's ousted President Mohamed Morsi after he died unexpectedly during a trial on Monday.

"We offer deep condolences to the family and people of Egypt. May he be placed in the best place near Allah," Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir told Anadolu Agency in Jakarta, Indonesian capital.

Morsi, 67, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, died Monday during a court trial on alleged espionage charges, according to Egyptian state TV.

The death of the former Egyptian president in suspicious circumstances has triggered worldwide condemnation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to accept that Morsi died of natural causes, and the UN has called for an impartial investigation into the circumstances of his death.

"Any sudden death in custody must be followed by a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation carried out by an independent body to clarify the cause of death," said Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

- Rohingya repatriation

Turning to the plight of Rohingya refugees, Indonesia expressed hope that Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries will encourage and help Myanmar prepare for Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh.

"We hope that ASEAN [member countries] will adopt or approve steps that have been taken," said Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister AM Fachir.

ASEAN’s 34th summit starts Thursday in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will also be participating in the summit.

Fachir said that Indonesia hopes Myanmar will accept the assessment results by the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) on the issue of Rohingya.

According to Fachir, Indonesia President Joko Widodo will address several issues during the upcoming summit, including acceleration of the peace process in Rakhine state, Myanmar.

- A persecuted people

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).

The UN has also documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces.

In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.