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)