Diplomats and diplomatists<\/p>\n
The cartoonist was, of course, fully within his right to
\nexpress his opinions about the repatriation of so-called \"illegal
\nworkers\" from Malaysia to Indonesia. The cartoon depicted a
\nmyriad of mini-dolls pouring out from a waste basket, labeled
\n\"illegal workers\", in a flow that headed for the desk of a
\nbureaucratic-looking official, who was confronting another set of
\nmini-dolls seated on his desk, designating the status of
\nunemployment (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 8).<\/p>\n
The cartoon highlighted the news of the repatriation of some
\nhundreds of thousands of illegal workers from Malaysia. Watching
\non TV the disembarkation of the workers with their families,
\nincluding small children, at the port in Medan is, indeed, a very
\nsaddening drama.<\/p>\n
Then followed the news that Malaysia turned down
\nIndonesia's request to permit the workers to return to
\nMalaysia sometime after their repatriation. (Post, Aug. 9 ).<\/p>\n
If the above scenario on the one hand exposed the suffering
\nand griefs affecting common people in search of a better life in
\na neighbor country, a quite paradoxical scenario emerged on the
\nother hand, manifesting a rejoicing episode at the government
\nlevel.<\/p>\n
Indonesia inaugurated the first natural gas exports to
\nMalaysia, worth US$6.2 billion, reportedly through a 96-kilometer
\nundersea pipeline, from West Natuna to the offshore facilities of
\nPetronas, Malaysia.<\/p>\n
If the above mutually contradicting episodes are put together
\nin a combined perspective of mutually complementary benefits, to
\nform the basis for a reconciliatory effort to seek future
\nsolutions to the problem of Indonesian workers wishing to return
\nto Malaysia, then a potential bargaining arrangement should not
\nbe dismissed so as to find a workable modality in terms of
\ncompromise.<\/p>\n
The art of diplomacy should be utilized by the Indonesia side.
\nTo tackle the challenging task, perhaps not mere diplomats but
\nrather diplomatists, meaning tactful diplomats, are called for.<\/p>\n
S. SUHAEDI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/diplomats-and-diplomatists-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }