Scientist plays role of RI envoy<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Rizal Sukma never dreamed of becoming a diplomat, believing
\nthat the nature of the profession resembled that of footsoldiers
\nwho merely carried out orders that had been drawn up on high.<\/p>\n
The director of studies at Jakarta-based think tank Centre for
\nStrategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that rather than
\ntake such a job, he preferred to carry out analytical work in
\nthat field.<\/p>\n
Engaging in scholarly work was his aim from an early age.<\/p>\n
Ironically, it was his diligent scholarly activities that
\nlanded him in the type of work regularly carried out by a
\ndiplomat: promoting the country's interests.<\/p>\n
In the past 10 years, Rizal has been a member of Indonesia's
\nEminent Expert Persons (EEP) for the Association of Southeast
\nAsian Nations (Asean) Regional Forum (ARF) and the Indonesian
\nCommittee in the Council on Security Cooperation in Asia-Pacific
\n(CSCAP), two institutions that promote security in the region.<\/p>\n
As a member of the two institutions, Rizal has contributed
\nmuch to the establishment of a security framework in ASEAN and
\nthe Asia-Pacific region, although heavily academic in its nature.<\/p>\n
Rizal has championed the paramount importance of the so-termed
\nAsean Security Community (ASC), a loose political and security
\ncooperation that was conceived to ward off nonconventional
\nthreats such as piracy, illegal logging, natural disaster and
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
For years, Rizal and the country's three senior diplomats
\nengaged in scholarly dialog with their counterparts from other
\nASEAN countries about the feasibility of such a concept. He
\ntraveled extensively abroad to discuss the issue, which rarely
\nleft him available for local journalists who wished to hear his
\npolitical comments.<\/p>\n
In October 2003, the concept was no longer a matter of
\nacademic discourse when leaders of the ASEAN countries, who had
\ngathered in Bali for a heads of state meeting, declared their
\nagreement to what is known as Bali Concord II, adopting the ASC
\nas a framework to achieve a resilient and integrated ASEAN
\ncommunity -- albeit with reservations that such a community would
\nnot plunder upon their territorial integrity.<\/p>\n
Rizal considered the concord also a major breakthrough as, for
\nthe first time in the history of ASEAN, country members agreed on
\nthe use of the word \"democracy\" in an official document.<\/p>\n
Rizal's years of campaigning for the Asean Security Community
\nand the subsequent acceptance of the concept by members of the
\nSoutheast Asian countries bloc drew attention from the Tokyo-
\nbased Institute for International Policy Studies (IIPS), which
\nlater decided to give him the first Nakasone Yasuhiro Award late
\nlast month.<\/p>\n
Named after one of the most powerful prime ministers in
\nJapan's modern history, the award was given to individuals under
\n40 years who combined intellect with action in a bold and
\nproactive approach in helping to create a brighter 21st century.<\/p>\n
Rizal was one of four with outstanding achievement who were
\nselected by the IIPS to receive the award.<\/p>\n
The institute also shortlisted Rizal for his contribution to
\npush for the reform in the Indonesian Military (TNI), an effort
\nhe said would bring the military back into its natural role,
\ndefense.<\/p>\n
Along with numerous other political scientists, Rizal was
\ninvolved in the drawing up of Defense Law No. 03\/2002.<\/p>\n
\"The Institute believes that the military reform would help
\nbring about regional security as the TNI could devote its
\nresources solely for defense purposes,\" Rizal told The Jakarta
\nPost in a late afternoon interview from his CSIS office in Tanah
\nAbang, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Along with the award, Rizal went home with US$4,800 as
\nfinancial support for future research.<\/p>\n
With such high-profile recognition, the 40-year-old from
\nNanggroe Aceh Darussalam will not look back in regret at the fact
\nthat he was unable to enroll at Bandung Institute of Technology,
\nwhere he longed to study after high school.<\/p>\n
Failing to gain entry to ITB, Rizal opted to enroll at the
\nInternational Relations department of state Padjajaran University
\n(Unpad), his second choice in a placement test.<\/p>\n
\"It took me two years to discover that international relations
\nwas an interesting subject,\" Rizal said, adding that he also
\nbegan to engage in scholarly debates by writing for local papers.<\/p>\n
In spite of his enthusiasm, Rizal graduated from Unpad in 1989
\nwith a less-than-impressive degree, saying that he might have
\nspent much of his time playing cards.<\/p>\n
After a brief teaching stint at the university, Rizal left for
\nJakarta to join CSIS in 1990. \"I always wanted to become a
\nresearcher for CSIS simply because its library was probably the
\nmost extensive in the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Briefly after joining CSIS, Rizal again left for the UK, this
\ntime to pursue a master's degree at the London School of
\nEconomics and Political Science (LSE).<\/p>\n
In 1993, Rizal obtained the degree and wasted no time pursuing
\na doctorate in international relations.<\/p>\n
He was awarded the degree in 1996 and returned to Indonesia
\nthe following year. With the degree, Rizal became one of four
\nIndonesian scholars to have obtained their degree in
\ninternational relations from the prestigious college.<\/p>\n
His PhD dissertation on Indonesia's relations with China has
\nbeen published by Routledge Curzon. His second book on the
\ninfluence of Islam on Indonesian foreign policy has also been
\npublished by them.<\/p>\n
Upon his return in 1997, Rizal was soon promoted to assume the
\ndirectorship of CSIS studies, a position he has retained until
\nnow.<\/p>\n
His years of schooling did not drive Rizal to indulge in
\nacademic complacency that kept him imprisoned in an ivory tower.<\/p>\n
The son of Acehnese teachers later joined the country's second
\nlargest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, the same year, which
\nled to his involvement with the National Mandate Party (PAN), the
\nbrainchild of Amien Rais, patron of the 16-million strong
\norganization.<\/p>\n
\"I get along well with Pak Amien because he is also well-
\nversed in international relations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He later served as Amien's adviser when the Muslim scholar ran
\nfor president in the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
With the political parade now over, Rizal is back with CSIS
\nand has returned to teaching at the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He now lives in Serpong, Tangerang, with his wife, a son and a
\ndaughter.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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