Iraq and Indonesia's 'fruitless' policies<\/p>\n
Max Lane, Visiting Fellow, Center for Asia Pacific
\nSocial Transformation Studies (CAPSTRANS), University of Wollongong,
\nAustralia<\/p>\n
Todung Mulya Lubis makes some sensible points in his interview
\nwith The Jakarta Post on March 31. For example, he is correct to
\nquestion the usefulness of a boycott of American goods -- at
\nleast, at this point of time. The anti-war movement in the United
\nStates itself has not yet called for such a boycott. Furthermore,
\nwe have not yet reached the stage where a global movement
\ndevelops with the general goal of defeating any idea that some in
\nWashington have of a new U.S. global empire. If the U.S.
\ncontinues to insist of acting unilaterally in policing the world,
\na general campaign against U.S. foreign policy may develop and
\nthen the issue of boycott might arise.<\/p>\n
The task at hand now is that of ending a specific problem: the
\nwar in Iraq.<\/p>\n
Mulya Lubis makes another correct assessment later in the
\ninterview. After suggesting that \"if we want to continue the
\nanti-war drive, the best thing we could do is push the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and members of the
\nnonaligned countries to press the UN to take steps to stop the
\nwar.\" He accurately assesses: \"This move will likely be fruitless
\nanyhow.\" This defeatist attitude then leads him to concentrate
\non emphasizing post-war humanitarian efforts.<\/p>\n
Mulya Lubis is correct is assessing Indonesia's current
\ndiplomatic efforts as likely to be fruitless. The U.S. knows this
\nand therefore is not lobbying openly or making any sharp public
\ncriticisms of the Megawati government. The U.S. knows, or rather
\nhopes that if the war can be concluded quickly all those
\ncurrently stating an opposition to the war, will quickly move
\ninto the post-war framework. \"What is done is done, let's make
\nsome humanitarian contribution\".<\/p>\n
There are many governments, including both Arab and ASEAN
\ngovernments that are playing this game. In this respect, both
\nIndonesia and Malaysia are in a similar category as that of
\nEgypt. Indonesia, Malaysia and Egypt are all opponents or critics
\nof the U.S. invasion of Iraq. But all three countries sit by
\nsilently while U.S. war armadas sale through their territories.
\nIn Turkey at least, he issue of military bases are air space
\nbecame a major issue of public debate.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has stated publicly that the U.S.
\ninvasion is illegal and an act of aggression. Yet, it remains
\nsilent as U.S. war armadas sail happily through the Straits of
\nMalacca, within sight of Indonesian fishermen and farmers. The
\noutspoken Mahathir remains equally as silent. Of course,
\nIndonesia and Malaysia have long agreed to the Straits of Malacca
\nbecoming an international waterway. But the Straits remain,
\nultimately, within Indonesian and Malaysian territory and the
\ncountries retain every right to state openly any objections that
\nthe Straits be used for actions which the two countries have
\nopenly branded as \"illegal\" and \"aggression\".<\/p>\n
Significantly, there has been little press reporting on the
\nfact the U.S. Kitty Hawk super carrier battle fleet passed
\nthrough the Straits of Malacca on Feb. 16. The U.S.
\nConstellation, and other super carrier, passed through in
\nDecember. The U.S. Nimitz has either just passed through recently
\nor is about to do so. The Nimitz left San Diego on the West Coast
\nof the U.S. in early March. This means that most of the
\nIndonesian people, who overwhelmingly oppose the U.S.-UK-
\nAustralian invasion, do not know that the invading fleets pass by
\ntheir country while their government remains silent.<\/p>\n
If Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur really wanted to put pressure on
\nthe U.S. and its war allies, then the could jointly issue a
\nstatement on behalf of their nations calling for a halt to war
\narmadas using the Straits on the way to Iraq, or for any
\nrotations back to bases in Japan, Guam or the U.S. West Coast. As
\na \"good friend\" of Indonesia, surely the U.S. government would
\naccept such a request, wouldn't it?<\/p>\n
It is also surprising that none of the large community and
\npolitical organizations, including the parliamentary parties,
\nhave been silent about the use of the Straits. Perhaps, as with
\nthe Indonesian government, maintaining good relations with the
\nU.S. government in the long term is more important to them that
\nacting to stop the war in a way that will not be \"fruitless\".<\/p>",
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