Mistrust between Indonesia and Australia<\/p>\n
The media's view of Australia-RI relations<\/p>\n
Santi W.E. Soekanto, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Australians regard Indonesia as the country's greatest
\nsecurity threat, far outranking other nations in the region, a
\nnew study in Australia revealed on Wednesday Aug. 25, 2004.
\nReleased by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), it
\nsaid fewer Australians now saw an external security threat than
\nat any time in the past 30 years.<\/p>\n
\"However, to the extent that the public identifies a security
\nthreat to Australia, there is a greater consensus than ever
\nbefore that the threat comes from one country: Indonesia,\" ASPI
\nsaid as quoted by the Sidney Morning Herald. \"Notwithstanding
\nimproved bilateral relations, particularly during the 1980s and
\n1990s, the public's concern about Indonesia has increased almost
\nconsistently since opinion polls first began to track it in the
\nlate 1960s.\"<\/p>\n
The study was conducted for ASPI by Australian National
\nUniversity professor of political science Ian McAllister who
\nreviewed polls dating back to the late 1960s. It quoted a 2001
\nsurvey that showed 31 percent believed Indonesia would be very
\nlikely to pose a threat to Australia's security compared with
\njust 9 percent for China, 6 percent for Malaysia and 5 percent
\nfor Japan.<\/p>\n
The piece did not say why Australians considered Indonesia
\ntheir greatest security threat. However, it brought to mind a
\nreport, titled Near Neighbors, Good Neighbors, issued in May by
\nthe Australian Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs,
\nDefense and Trade -- which is a subcommittee of the foreign
\nministry -- on its inquiry into Australia's relationship with
\nIndonesia. Invoking the warmth that people usually feel about
\nhaving good, reliable neighbors, the report discussed how good
\nrelations and understanding could be built through, among other
\nthings, exchange visits.<\/p>\n
On its chapter on the role of the media, the committee
\ndiscussed meeting with Muslim leaders during a recent visit to
\nJakarta, where young Indonesian Muslim leaders discussed how the
\nportrayal in the media of Islam, and the media's failure to
\ndistinguish between Muslims generally and \"radical elements such
\nas the Taliban\", was offensive.<\/p>\n
\"A plea was made for the western media to give Muslims the
\nright to the benefit of the doubt,\" the report said, before going
\non to say that the committee and the Muslim leaders discussed the
\nimportance of the mass media getting more understanding of Islam
\nand the East.<\/p>\n
The report cited the Journey into Islam in Indonesia, a
\nprogram undertaken by the Melbourne-based Asia Pacific Journalism
\nCenter, in which a group of Australian journalists and their
\nIndonesian counterparts went on a journey to Muslim communities
\nto gain a better understanding of how Indonesian Muslims live.<\/p>\n
A total of 18 journalists traveled in May for 10 days along
\nthe length of Java to visit pesantren (boarding schools) and
\nother Islamic communities, a journey that was expected to provide
\ninsight for everybody on the trip. Warm personal ties developed.
\n\"This program has changed how we will report about Islam in the
\nfuture,\" said one Australian journalist. \"A 10-day journey has
\nshown us that huge gaps can be bridged,\" said another.<\/p>\n
The committee commented thus in its report: \"The committee
\nconsiders such programs are an extremely important way of
\nenhancing the media's understanding of Islam and, through their
\nextended reach, the general community. An insensitive and
\ninaccurate portrayal of Islam in the west is indeed offensive and
\ndamaging to relationships.\"<\/p>\n
When the Australian participants published their stories,
\nhowever, a critical overtone of Indonesian Muslims remained.
\nExpressions of wariness at more radical Indonesian Muslims, and
\nadmonitions about how Indonesia should treat such elements, also
\nappeared.<\/p>\n
This showed how hard a task it was to earn somebody's trust
\nand to change one's attitude about another person. Only in movies
\ndo people change their behavior and attitudes within a short span
\nof time. The Muslim leaders quoted by the joint committee report
\nwould have to wait longer before their wish for a fairer
\nportrayal of Indonesian Islam could come true.<\/p>\n
There is no question that Sept. 11 created serious roadblocks
\non the journey to understanding between the West and Indonesia.
\nFor the same reasons, Indonesia and Australia are facing those
\nroadblocks now.<\/p>\n
Former American Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once said,
\n\"If I call Europe, whom should I ring?\" By the same token, whom
\nshould we ring when we call the West? Whom shall we ring when we
\ncall Islam? Individuals, however, can start to make a difference.<\/p>\n
The writer is a freelance journalist and manager of the
\nJourney into Islam in Indonesia 2004 program. She can be
\ncontacted at santi_soekanto2001@yahoo.com<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mistrust-between-indonesia-and-australia-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}