Australia 'besieged'

The victory of the coalition of parties under the leadership of Prime Minister John Howard in the Australian general election over the weekend was an unusual phenomenon in the political history of Australia. Very rarely has a combination of parties managed to win a general election for a third time. Although John Howard certainly could pride himself as an effective campaigner, his victory, at the same time, has indicated the deep-seated fears of a country besieged.

John Howard has exploited ruthlessly the fears of the Australian people that their perfect country would be invaded by "barbarians" from war- and drought-stricken countries in the Middle East and South Asia. The fear that emerged following the September 11 attacks on the United States was also exploited by John Howard, who implied that they could happen in Australia too.

Besides stating his government's loyalty to the U.S. and thereby adopting it as its powerful ally and protector, John Howard, at the same time, conveyed the clear message that only a government under his leadership could save Australia from calamity.

All this, being purely internal Australian affairs, would actually be of little concern to Indonesians but for the fact that an election campaign that aroused undefined basic fears and even xenophobic emotions constituted a serious setback for a country that could play a significant role in the Asia Pacific region. As a modern Western nation with a knowledge-based economy, Australia could play a stimulating role in speeding up the modernization process in a number of countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Australians are widely known as a hardworking people with an egalitarian attitude, who are thus warmly welcomed in many countries, be it as doctors, engineers, agriculture specialists, mining experts or teachers. John Howard's campaign, which has exploited fears and aroused xenophobic emotions, has created the perception among Asians that ultimately, Australians do not really feel that they are a part of this region.

Prime Minister Howard stated last week that if and when he were reelected, one of his most immediate tasks would be to go to Jakarta to conduct high-level talks with President Megawati Soekarnoputri and some of her Cabinet. Jakarta should welcome his visit.

The encounter will offer an excellent opportunity to spell out in clear terms Indonesia's position regarding the flow of what has been referred to as "illegal immigrants" to Australia, using Indonesia as their stopover.

Canberra should not presume that it is Indonesia's duty to act as Australia's forward defense line in stemming this flow of wretched people who seek a better life in the "lucky country" down south. Nor should the Howard government view Indonesia as some kind of "Nauru", which would be willing to shelter these refugees, albeit temporarily, for a certain price.

Indonesia's readiness to cooperate with Australia for mutual benefit still stands, no matter what party or coalition of parties is in power in Canberra.

Understandably, with a third election victory under his belt, John Howard is walking these days with a chip on his political shoulder. This is all the more reason for the Megawati government to realize that in dealing with the administration in Canberra, it should be firm and businesslike. Evasiveness is not always an asset in the conduct of modern diplomacy.