Domestic vs world opinion<\/p>\n
The U.S.-led attacks on Afghanistan have put the government of
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri in a bind. It has to thread
\ncarefully between majority international opinion, which supports
\nthe attacks, and domestic public opinion, which ranges from
\noutright condemnation to tacit support.<\/p>\n
Whatever position it takes, it must ultimately be dictated by
\nnational interests. Indonesia cannot ignore the majority world
\nopinion, nor can the government dismiss domestic public opinion.<\/p>\n
Right now, the government seems to have taken a severe beating
\nfrom both sides. At home, it has been criticized for shying away
\nfrom condemning the attacks. Abroad, America is irritated at
\nJakarta's wavering support for its campaign against terrorism, of
\nwhich the attacks on Afghanistan are an important part.<\/p>\n
The official response, as outlined on Oct. 8, has been
\nmeasured and proportionate. Couched in diplomatic language, it
\nsaid that Indonesia was deeply concerned at the attacks and
\ninsisted that any global war on terrorism must be taken
\ncollectively under UN leadership. This was the strongest
\nIndonesia could have gone in criticizing the United States. While
\nit acknowledges the right of America to respond to the terrorist
\nattacks on its soil, it cautioned Washington about the potential
\ncasualties among civilian Afghans.<\/p>\n
As rational and pragmatic as the response sounds, the
\ngovernment never consulted the House of Representatives
\nbeforehand. Not surprisingly, it failed to secure domestic public
\nsupport. Instead, this gave room for the small but vocal and
\nhardline groups to steal the show and to virtually dictate the
\nnational political agenda these past two weeks with their
\nprovocative statements, such as a demand for ties with the United
\nStates to be severed.<\/p>\n
Later on, President Megawati's Oct. 15 statement, that no
\nnation had the right to attack another, or to seek to erase blood
\nwith blood, was widely misinterpreted as succumbing to public
\npressure. She may have been stating a widely accepted principle
\nguiding international relations, but many people were quick to
\nperceive this as a veiled attack on the United States.<\/p>\n
This whole episode suggests that the government has failed
\nmiserably in the art of political communication. Domestic and
\ninternational public opinion need not have collided had the
\ngovernment prepared its case better, and fully informed the
\npublic of its policies and their rationale.<\/p>\n
For an issue as big as this, President Megawati should have
\nconsulted the House of Representatives' leadership before, and
\nnot after, announcing the government's response. And for an issue
\nas big as this, President Megawati should have personally taken
\ncharge of the situation, instead of leaving the matter entirely
\nin the hands of her lieutenants.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/domestic-vs-world-opinion-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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