Indonesia was involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. During the consultations, Indonesia emphasised that rather than re-stating International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the Political Declaration should serve as a reaffirmation of the collective commitment and obligations to fully implement IHL and minimise the humanitarian consequences arising from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Indonesia also said that the Political Declaration could serve to concretize the principles set out in IHL and to fill the gaps therein.1
Statements and priorities
Indonesia has several times spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums. In 2013 it delivered a statement during the UN Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict expressing its concerns at the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, particularly in densely populated areas and situations in which the nature of conflict becomes asymmetric.2 During the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2022, Indonesia acknowledged the need to address the harm caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas3 and similarly, during First Committee in 2023, Indonesia acknowledged the pattern of harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas.4
Alongside its individual statements, Indonesia has repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. At the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in May 2022, the Group of Friends, from which Indonesia is a member, stressed the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians, and took note of the ongoing consultations led by Ireland.5
As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Indonesia aligned with World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ in May 2016, including the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”6
In October 2018, Indonesia was one of 50 states to endorse the joint statement on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee, calling attention to the devastating and long-lasting humanitarian impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and urging states to reverse the trend of high levels of civilian harm.7 Indonesia also endorsed the joint statement during the 74th United Nations General Assembly First Committee in 2019.8 The statement encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international Political Declaration on this issue.9
The Group of Friends on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, from which Indonesia is a memer, noted the adoption of the Political Declaration at the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on 23 May 2023.10