RI experts divided over aid benefits<\/p>\n
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The unprecedented global response to the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster
\nthat devastated Indonesia and 11 other countries has been widely
\nappreciated in Indonesia, but local analysts are still divided on
\nthe issue of whether the generous assistance offered by friendly
\ncountries would strengthen or weaken the country's foreign
\npolicy.<\/p>\n
Just days after the tsunami catastrophe that killed more than
\n230,000 people (including missing persons) in Indonesia alone,
\nscores of countries -- from the poorest to the richest -- raced
\nto offer emergency aid to Indonesia and other countries.<\/p>\n
Several countries have sent warships, jets, helicopters and
\nother heavy military equipment together with thousands of
\nmilitary troops and medical teams to the disaster-stricken areas.<\/p>\n
Approximately 10 days after the calamity, the world
\ncommunity's pledges had risen to more than US$7 billion of grants
\nor loans for the affected countries. Some of this money will be
\nchanneled bilaterally and the rest through international
\norganizations to Indonesia to finance the rehabilitation of Aceh.<\/p>\n
Indonesia also received hundreds of thousands of tons aid in
\nkind, including food, medicine, clothes, water and tents.<\/p>\n
Since there is no free lunch in diplomacy, some analysts here
\nhave complained that the foreign aid might be with many strings
\nattached or have ulterior motives, given Indonesia's size,
\nabundant natural resources and geo-strategic location.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda last week brushed
\naside the arguments that the acceptance of foreign loans and
\ngrants could weaken Indonesia's position in bilateral relations
\nwith the donor countries.<\/p>\n
"The strategy taken by the government (on this issue) is by
\nadvancing humanitarian diplomacy," Hassan told the House of
\nRepresentatives Commission I for defense and foreign affairs.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Arief Wicaksono, an international relations expert
\nfrom 1945 University in Makassar, South Sulawesi, said that
\nforeign donations could weaken Indonesia's diplomacy in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
"The government will face obstacles in its diplomacy with the
\ndonor countries. This will absolutely become a big burden for the
\nministry of foreign affairs," Arief said recently as quoted by
\nAntara new agency.<\/p>\n
He said that on one hand, the assistance was badly needed to
\ncope with the disaster and rebuild the much-devastated
\ninfrastructure, but on the other, it could weaken Indonesia's
\nposition in implementing its foreign policy in international
\nfora.<\/p>\n
"The point is that the assistance provided bilaterally is
\nrisky and will affect Indonesia's diplomacy in the future," he
\nasserted, while explaining that Indonesia would be indebted
\neither morally or in monetary terms to those countries.<\/p>\n
According to him, such problems can be avoided if all the aid
\ncould be channeled via multilateral groups such as international
\norganizations under the UN agency or special institutions, which
\nhave been established to help the victims and the areas affected
\nby the tsunami without being dominated by any particular country.<\/p>\n
While, complementing Hassan's view, Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences (LIPI) analyst Dewi Fortuna Anwar said the generosity of
\nforeign countries was mainly based on humanitarian reasons.<\/p>\n
"They (foreign countries) have shown their goodwill to help
\nthe victims of tsunami in Aceh. We welcome it as a humanitarian
\nmission," Dewi, who worked as advisor to former president B.J.
\nHabibie, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
"As long as there is no corruption in the aid distribution, I
\nreally believe that the Indonesian government can run its
\ndiplomacy as usual, including on the critical issues. Indonesia's
\ndiplomacy will not get weaker because of the aid," she said.<\/p>\n
Though the Australian government has donated lot of assistance
\nin response to the disaster, said Dewi, the Indonesian
\ngovernment's stand on Canberra's controversial suggestions of
\npossible preemptive strikes against terrorists in Indonesia would
\nnot diminish.<\/p>\n
The Australian government pledged A$1 billion in aid to
\ntsunami-affected countries, mainly Indonesia. Canberra also
\ndeployed six C-130 transport planes and the HMAS Kanimbla ship to
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
Dewi said that the Indonesian government, however, had to
\nperform in managing the money and the reconstruction effort to
\nwin the trust of donor countries.<\/p>\n
The government hired international accounting firm Ernst &
\nYoung to audit all humanitarian assistance. The government will
\nalso release monthly figures for disaster relief.<\/p>\n
Syamsul Hadi, executive director of the Center for
\nInternational Relations at the University of Indonesia shared
\nDewi's opinion.<\/p>\n
Syamsul said that there was nothing wrong in receiving foreign
\nassistance. Because it was an unprecedented natural disaster.<\/p>\n
"The government, in the name of humanitarianism, must
\nfacilitate them (foreign countries) to provide their assistance
\nto our brothers and sisters in Aceh," Syamsul told the Post.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is expected to receive the bulk of more than $7
\nbillion in aid, loans and debt relief that world nations have
\npledged to tsunami relief efforts in the Indian Ocean region. But
\none problem is how to use those billions of dollars in a
\ntransparent manner to rebuild Aceh.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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