By: Felicia Pramandika
The arrival of Pope Francis in Indonesia on September 3, 2024, is set to be a historic event that is highly anticipated by the Indonesian people and the international community. As a respected spiritual leader of the Catholic Church worldwide, this visit is expected to bring a message of peace, tolerance, and stronger interfaith dialogue amidst the challenging global dynamics.
During his visit, Pope Francis is scheduled to hold various meetings and discuss several important issues relevant to both Indonesia and the international community.
One of the main topics to be discussed is the efforts for peace related to conflicts in several countries. The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), stated that his meeting with Pope Francis will discuss the war in Gaza as well as the conflict in Ukraine. This is considered very important in order to achieve peace in all war conflicts, both in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as in other smaller conflicts occurring in several countries, so that they can be resolved as soon as possible.
President Jokowi plans to participate in Pope Francis’ agenda at Istiqlal and the grand mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. The Pope will arrive in Indonesia on September 3, 2024, and the following day he will be received by President Jokowi at the State Palace.
The Governor of Jakarta, Heru Budi, stated that they have informed the public that on September 3, 4, 5, and 6, 2024, there will be a visit from a state guest, His Holiness Pope Francis. On September 3, he will arrive; on September 4, there will be state activities received by the president; on September 5, there will also be activities at GBK; and on September 6, he will depart.
Pope Francis will lead a grand mass on September 5 at Gelora Bung Karno. The grand mass is expected to be attended by 90 thousand Catholics from various regions. All parties are urged to prioritize movement in the morning, specifically activities at the JCC or state events. Following that, those attending the mass, which has 90,000 participants, can start arriving at 12:00 and can engage in activities or transportation to GBK.
Considering the importance of this visit, security personnel have also heightened security at various strategic points. Security personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the National Police, and other security agencies have been deployed to ensure that this visit proceeds safely and in a conducive manner. Special security protocols have also been implemented, including tight escorts along the route of Pope Francis’s journey while in Indonesia.
The Indonesian National Police (Polri) held a pre-Operation Tribrata Jaya 2024 training in preparation for the security of the visit by Pope Francis and the International Sustainability Forum (ISF) in 2024. Kaops Tribrata Jaya 2024, Police Chief Commissioner Imam Widodo stated that the pre-Operation Tribrata Jaya 2024 training is conducted to align mindsets and actions, as well as to enhance the capabilities and skills of the police personnel assigned to secure the visit of Pope Francis and the ISF 2024 activities. Imam mentioned that several topics discussed in the pre-Operation Tribrata Jaya 2024 training include early detection and prevention, as well as assessing vulnerabilities leading up to and during the operation.
Observing the dynamics of the strategic environment at both the regional and national levels will impact the implementation of Pope Francis’ visit and the international ISF 2024 activities, such as national issues that could pose security threats, including conventional crime, transnational crime, and terrorism issues.
According to the spokesperson for Pope Francis’ visit, Father Ulun Ismoyo, the visit is very important because the Holy See views Indonesia as a diverse country with a high level of tolerance. This visit is hoped to bring a message of peace to the world. He also added that there are diplomatic reasons behind this visit, considering that the Vatican highly values Indonesia’s recognition of independence after 1945.