The need to improve Indonesia's image in the world community

By Budiono Kusumohamidjojo

JAKARTA (JP): The Research and Development Board of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a workshop on Dec. 11 to seek ways to improve Indonesia's image abroad, which is believed to be suffering in the international community.

The issue was approached from several perspectives such as in the news media, defense and security, and diplomacy.

Dr. Johan Syahperi, the chairman of the board, stressed in his opening address the urgency of the issue due to the changing international situation, particularly in terms of its actors, global circumstances and fundamental issues debated among nations. There is no doubt that Indonesia has to build a stronger image if it is interested in playing a decisive role in the world commensurate to its size and potential.

The speakers and participants demonstrated great enthusiasm while contributing recommendations as well as criticisms. The situation could not be discussed in black and white terms however. Major General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gained applause for his open-minded approach toward the issue.

Indonesia has indeed no other choice than to face the international community and respond to their (often biased) views about the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to spearhead efforts toward building a realistic but respectable image of Indonesia in the world. Of course, the ministry has only a limited ability to change international opinions.

The workshop turned out to be introspective about Indonesia's domestic problems and shortcomings, despite the acknowledgment of its numerous achievements.

Indonesia cannot afford to retain its present foreign policy stance vis-a-vis the international community. It is in Indonesia's own interest to improve and develop its image in the international community. The Research and Development Board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has done a good job by extracting an overall analysis from the workshop.

According to the workshop's conclusions, Indonesia has to deal with a set of issues on two fronts if it seriously wishes to improve and to build its image abroad. One front lies in the realm of diplomacy and how we handle communicating to the world our aspirations and potential. The second front constitutes an immense task: coping with the country's domestic problems and shortcomings.

In tackling issues related to our diplomatic initiatives, Indonesia will have to make extensive use of available information management systems, telecommunications technology and public relations techniques. These tools would be invaluable to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct an informative and enlightening diplomacy.

Nevertheless, it depends on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize its own resources as well as to coordinate those of other related government agencies to collect, process and present facts and information materials to the world community.

The main objective should be giving the world a better understanding about Indonesia's domestic problems, and if possible, even winning more support in coping with them. The world must also know that Indonesia has ample opportunities for a better future.

In view of global transparency these days, there is no use in practicing "hide and seek" diplomacy in which governments pretend as if every domestic issue is under control or as if certain crucial problems did not exist. The role of foreign policy and its implementation through diplomacy in modern times is no longer limited to merely defending national interests or justifying certain unpopular domestic situations.

Today's diplomats also are expected to serve as agents of international dialog toward a better universal human environment, or in the words of Foreign Minister Ali Alatas: a global civil society. The building of mutual understanding constitutes an important part of the task, but such measures can only be based on open-minded attitudes and sincerity.

Nevertheless, the facts and information to be presented by Indonesian diplomats can only reflect the domestic reality. Foreign policy is nothing more than an extension of national (domestic) interests addressed on the international platform.

But here lies the limits for the expectations of our own diplomats regarding our domestic situation. It is unfair to require our diplomats, however brilliant they might be, to present to the world something which is actually a domestic heart-breaking quandary.

Here indeed lies our joint obligation as a nation. Indonesia, its people and its government, has to do its utmost to jointly build the country, minimize poverty, overcome our own shortcomings and settle our internal disputes.

Famine, calamities and riots are only the reflection of some of our problems. As a mater of course, Indonesians still have a long way to go and a great mission to accomplish. It may all seem a never-ending process.

But that is the path we have to follow in order to improve and build a genuine Indonesian image -- one which deserves international respect.

The writer is a lecturer in legal philosophy and a consultant based in Jakarta.