Indonesia Highlights: Pleasure Boat Capsizes in Central Java's Kedung Ombo Reservoir, Killing 6 | Jakarta to Close Tourist Attractions to End of the Eid al-Fitr Break | Indonesia, Papua New Guinea Inv

“We have ordered [TMII, Ragunan Zoo, and Ancol Amusement Park] to temporarily close from Sunday, May 16 to Monday, May 17, to enforce health protocols,” said Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Services interim head Gumilar Ekalaya of the order.

“These tourist venues will reopen on May 18. We have taken this decision after we noted a surge in visitor numbers during the two days of Idul Fitri on May 13 to May 14.”

Jakarta officials have come under fire from the House of Representatives or DPR for the surge, with Deputy DPR Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar set his sights on the Ancol Amusement Park.

“How can people bathe in beaches and be able to observe health protocols? They cannot wear masks or social distance properly,” he said. Muhaimin also reminded Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan to impartially enforce the law.

“I urge the Jakarta provincial administration not to apply any double standards in their policymaking. Why do [the Jakarta authorities] ban paying annual respects to deceased loved during Eid al-Fitr during Eid, but allow tourist sights like Ancol to open?” he wondered.

Ancol’s management noted that over 39 thousand people visited the amusement park on the second day of Idul Fitri on Friday, more than its maximum limit of 30 percent capacity or 30 thousand people during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force head Doni Monardo voiced similar opinions to Muhaimin, when he stated that tourist venues which violated Covid-19 health protocols should be closed.

Source:

https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/05/16/045803374/jakarta-to-close-tourist-attractions-to-end-of-the-eid-al-fitr-break?page=all#page2. 

Indonesia, Papua New Guinea Investigate Papua New Guinean Support For Papuan Insurgents

International support for the ongoing insurgency in Indonesia’s Papua province is highlighted once again, after authorities in Indonesia and the government of Papua New Guinea are jointly investigating a video showing Papua New Guinean citizens supporting the rebels.

The video showed a number of armed men in military fatigues who stated their support for the Papuan insurgents, which the Indonesian government labeled Armed Insurgent Groups or KKB.

The men in the undated video claimed that they were from the Papua New Guinea province of East Sepik. Indonesian Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Andriana Supandy urged Indonesian nationals in the country to remain calm and not be provoked by the video.

The video will not affect good bilateral relations [between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea] under a 1986 [treaty] signed by both countries,” he said in a press release quoted by the Antara state news agency Saturday.

“The Papua New Guinea government respects Indonesia’s sovereignty over its territory, and regards the issues in Papua and West Papua [provinces] as internal matters.”