Domestic affairs key to RI's international role
Domestic affairs key to RI's international role
JAKARTA (JP): As Indonesia assumes a non-permanent seat at the
United Nations Security Council, experts and academics noted the
resolution of domestic matters as a prerequisite to boosting the
country's international role and image.
"The country's domestic political and economic performance has
to be sufficiently established before we can perform unencumbered
in the international forum," said C.P.F. Luhulima, a senior
international affairs researcher at the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences.
Speaking at a seminar on Indonesia's role as a member of the
Security Council at the Dr. Soetomo Press Institute yesterday,
Luhulima stated that the implementation of a "free and active"
foreign policy owed its strength to Indonesia's domestic success.
He explained that as a consequence of Indonesia's successful
economic development, a more politically aware society has
emerged with a strong urge to demand greater freedom.
Luhulima noted that these challenges include human rights,
political rights, the economy and social and cultural challenges,
along with the need for good governance.
"We must not forget that we can only play our role in the
forum successfully if we can settle these urgent domestic
problems," he warned.
On Jan. 1, Indonesia officially took its seat at the Security
Council for the 1995-1996 term. This is the second tenure in the
Council after Indonesia previously holding a seat in 1974.
Being a strong exponent of Third World causes, many have cited
this opportunity as a time for Indonesia to exercise much of its
rhetoric.
"Indonesia's ability to promote its own interests and that of
the developing countries heavily depends on facing the rapidly
rising challenges at home," Luhulima said.
He stressed that in the face of these domestic challenges, the
country must maintain its national unity.
Soedjati Djiwandono, from the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, pointed out the problems the foreign
ministry encounters abroad when it is harried by certain parties
at home undermining their policies abroad.
He focused on the East Timor case in which he said
irresponsible individual actions have weakened Indonesia's
credibility abroad.
He did not give any example, but such damaging actions have
been widely reported by the local media. One report said two
soldiers entered a church in Dili and desecrated Christian
artifacts.
Soedjati remarked that the foreign ministry in its efforts
abroad were doing their job well. It was these internal incidents
that were pulling the rug from under their feet.
"I feel sorry for Deplu (the foreign ministry)," he said while
stressing the need for an improvement in the government's policy
on East Timor.
Soedjati also questioned demands by developing countries to
restructure the Security Council for a more equal representation,
basing their arguments on the notion of democratization.
"Its really ironic that while developing countries demand
democratization in the international level, many of them on the
domestic front do not even seem to truly implement democracy," he
quipped. (mds)