The Indonesian government has readied experts
and investigators to join international joint efforts to probe the downing of a
Malaysian passenger jet in eastern Ukraine as well as to recover and identify
the victims, even though the separatists controlling the site have yet to give
clear access.
Indonesian
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa confirmed on Sunday that Indonesia was party
to the emergency commission led by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr
Groisman, entitling Jakarta to send necessary personnel, such as experts and
investigators, to join the international team.
“Indonesian
Ambassador to Ukraine Niniek Kun Naryatie was present at the commission’s
meeting in Kiev on Saturday,” Erly Wijayani, a spokesman for the Indonesian
Embassy in Kiev, told The Jakarta Post.
Marty,
however, did not highlight Indonesia’s stance over the stand-off between the
Ukrainian government and the pro-Russia rebels, which had blocked
international efforts to gain total
access to the crash site.
A
number of world leaders have thrown pressure to Russian President Vladimir
Putin to ensure that the separatists allow investigators free access to the
site. “Our main concern is the Indonesian citizens on board the plane and
keeping their families well-informed on the incident,” Marty said.
Malaysian
Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine on Thursday.
All 298 people on board the Boeing B777, including 16 Indonesians, were killed.
Indonesia’s
National Police’s Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) was set to dispatch seven
forensic experts to Ukraine to join the international team to scrutinize the
remains of the victims, DVI commander Sr. Comr. Anton Castilani said.
“I
myself will lead the Indonesian experts. Our team will consist of those with
DNA, pathology, and odontology expertise. We are prepared to go [to Ukraine]
pending a green light from National Police chief [Gen. Sutarman], given the
fact that the crash site is in a conflict zone,” Anton told the Post.
He
added that the team would focus on identifying passenger remains after
previously collecting DNA samples from the families of Indonesians on board the
ill-fated wide-body jet, which was shot down on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala
Lumpur.
National
Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) chairman Tatang Kurniadi, meanwhile,
said that his organisation was also ready to help the investigation if needed.
However,
he added, because the plane was allegedly shot down, the KNKT might not get too
involved with the probe.
Hikmahanto
Juwana, an international law expert from the University of Indonesia, said he
understood that Jakarta’s soft stance could be driven by President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono’s concerns over the potential of new heightened tensions
between Russia and the US.
Hikmahanto,
however, insisted that the Indonesian government must get involved with pushing
parties relevant to the downing of a Malaysian passenger jet to open access to
the crash site and let credible investigators conduct a probe into the
incident.
Asean has strongly condemned the downing of
the airplane. “We express shock at the tragic deaths of the 298 people of
multiple nationalities on board the airline.
Flight
MH17 was flying over non-restricted airspace, and following a flight path that
had been declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation
(ICAO),”
Asean
foreign ministers said in a statement released by The Asean Secretariat.
Bagus
BT Saragih and Ina Parlina
Business & Investment Opportunities
Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC) is incorporated
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