Recognize public participation to improve foreign policy

Dian Wirengjurit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jakarta

To adapt and anticipate to new challenges on the international and domestic stages, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is undergoing heavy restructuring.

A new and expanded structure will be introduced as early as next year and, as Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda puts it, more posts will be given to a younger generation of diplomats. It is hoped that the new and fresh look will be able to improve the performance of Indonesian diplomats and the country's foreign policy.

As the multifaceted crises continues to drag on the most immediate aim of the government's foreign policy is to restore the nation's image and to regain the trust and confidence of foreign investors. President Megawati Soekarnoputri underlined the importance of achieving this at the beginning of her tenure. Such a task is certainly not an easy job for the ministry and its diplomats.

Under the new structure the ministry will put greater emphasis on the need to involve the public in carrying out diplomacy.

The Directorate General for Information and Public Diplomacy will be established in this regard, to replace the old Directorate General of Social and Cultural Relations. In today's world, diplomacy is no longer "the privilege of a few elite".

In short, the second-track diplomacy by the non-governmental actors, widely known as public diplomacy, will compliment the first-track diplomacy by the government.

The concept of two-track diplomacy emerged when diplomats, professionals and a large part of the community realized that government-to-government interactions were not necessarily the most effective method for promoting international cooperation and settling conflicts.

This concept was first coined by Joseph Montville of the Foreign Service Institute in 1982 to describe the methods and means of diplomacy conducted outside the governmental mechanism.

His basic idea refers to informal contacts and activities between private citizens and groups of individuals. More precisely, according to Ambassador Peter Galbraith, public diplomacy is the advocacy of national interests by seeking to influence foreign publics and leaders through open means such as the media, exchange of persons and cultural activities.

Other experts in diplomacy say that involving the public in diplomacy could reduce conflict between groups or nations by improving communication, understanding and relationships.

Tension, anger, fear and misunderstanding could decrease by "humanizing the face of the enemy" and giving people direct personal experience of one another.

Furthermore, it could affect the thinking and action of track- one diplomacy by addressing root causes, feelings and needs and by exploring diplomatic options without prejudice and therefore laying the groundwork for more formal negotiations or for reframing policies.

The basic premise of track-two diplomacy is that the expertise to deal successfully with conflict and peace making does not reside solely with government personnel or procedures. Citizens from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of skills have something to offer and they can make a difference. This assumption has long been held by different groups, from religious groups to professionals and universities.

Citizen diplomats could then be involved and activated to help restore Indonesia's image abroad to secure national programs. The second track could also cover some of the activities or functions of traditional diplomats namely to represent and promote. However, it should be remembered that the contacts they make and the activities they conduct should be based on their capacity as "non-state actors" in order to avoid discrepancies.

Despite its military might, the United States has attached great importance to public diplomacy for a number of years. The U.S. administration continues to manage public diplomacy seriously and effectively in its foreign policy. Its agencies such as the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) and the Voice of America have been at the forefront, acting as a main tool for U.S. propaganda against communist countries during the cold war. Similar mechanisms exist in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan, among others.

To adapt to the challenges after the cold war, the U.S. has gone even further. It merged the USIA and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency with the State Department on Oct. 1, 1999.

Last year alone the U.S. spent no less than US$3 billion on its tools of propaganda. Still, this does not guarantee that the conduct of its foreign policy will run smoothly as anti-American sentiment cannot easily be suppressed.

Today public diplomacy is imperative. Therefore, it is certainly not too late for Indonesia to start developing and managing public diplomacy to help promote and restore its image. However, if Indonesia, or the ministry in particular, is serious in developing and utilizing public diplomacy as a tool of Indonesia's foreign policy, then many things need to taken into account.

First, clear targets and objectives as to whom public diplomacy should be aimed at and what needs to be achieved need to be defined. Second, well-planned and sustainable programs and activities on what to do domestically and internationally should be created. Third, well-trained and dedicated diplomats need to be made available to carry out the difficult tasks. Fourth, appropriate funding should be provided to guarantee that public diplomacy be carried out continuously.

Nevertheless, restoring Indonesia's image through both traditional and public diplomacy is a long-term process and results will not come instantly.

People should be or should be made aware that they have a role in the conduct of their country's foreign policy if they are seriously concerned about the need to restore Indonesia's image.

For its part, the ministry should always play the central role. However, as former foreign minister Ali Alatas pointed out recently, our diplomats could only contribute 15 percent toward restoring Indonesia's image while the remaining 85 percent would greatly depend on the domestic situation.

Last but not least, promoting a good image of the situation in Indonesia while the troubles continue is a difficult and daunting task. It needs persistence and patience. Therefore, it is worth seeing how far the ministry can go with public diplomacy.