The Netherlands and Indonesia: A Common Future
The Netherlands and Indonesia: A Common Future
Message from the Ambassador of the Netherlands, Mr. Ruud Treffers, on the occasion of Queen's Day 2005
This year's celebration of the Dutch National Day or Queen's Day, every 30th of April, has a very special character for several important reasons.
One of them is that this year Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands celebrates her silver jubilee after being in office for 25 years.
Another milestone is Indonesia's celebration of 60 years of independence. An occasion which will obviously be overshadowed by the disastrous events that took place in Aceh and North-Sumatra at the end of last year and the beginning of this year.
It should be clear to Indonesia that the Netherlands will continue to give its heartfelt support in any possible way to the thousands of people affected by the tsunami and consequent earthquakes in the regions involved.
Indonesia and the Dutch people
It is now almost sixty years ago since our two peoples went their separate ways. What has remained is the living heritage of a long-shared past. Many Indonesians who now live, work and study in the Netherlands ensure that the old, familiar image we have of Indonesia is changing and getting a new perspective.
Nevertheless, the traces of the past are still to be found everywhere in the Netherlands. A great number of Dutch citizens were born in Indonesia or have lived here, and in many ways in their houses and towns they keep the treasured memories alive.
The literature about the period of the Netherlands-Indies constitutes an integral part of Dutch literature, which it has enriched with themes, images and words typical of this part of the world and to which it has added a special dimension by its interest in the mysterious forces our authors ascribe to this country. On the more everyday level, it is beyond question that Dutch cooking can no longer be imagined without the aroma's and flavors of Indonesian cuisine. All this contributes to ensuring that the present-day Dutch, too, remain fascinated by Indonesia, have warm feelings for the Indonesian people and are interested in developments of Indonesian society.
Indonesia's international role
In the Netherlands there is high appreciation of Indonesia. By virtue of its achievements, Indonesia has acquired increasing international prestige and influence. An example of this is the successful democratic electoral process that Indonesia has traversed last year. While the elections of 1999 have set a milestone, the elections of 2004 have set a trend whereby a pluralistic and stable democracy is sinking ever deeper roots in Indonesia.
The leading role played by Indonesia in ASEAN as well as in organizing and hosting the recent Asia-Africa summit are proof of its important position in this region. In 2001 Indonesia received the UN Human Development Award for its National Human Development Report. The Indonesian Chairmanship of the UN Commission on Human Rights by Ambassador Wibisono is another example of successful international exposure. These developments show that the prestige of your country rests on far more than the size of its territory and the scale of its economy.
Dialogue between Indonesia and the Netherlands
The Netherlands favors a strategic partnership with Indonesia to our mutual benefit in which there is room for constructive dialogue and open exchanges of view. In doing so, we must have respect and understanding for differences in traditions and customs. We must continue to discuss the fundamental rights and values that the members of the international community have established. What is important, however, is the will to understand each other which is imbued with friendship. I believe this is precisely the mature attitude that is shown by our two nations. In my view the forces that bind us will always be stronger than those that separate us.