Will RI commit ASEAN's sin?

Will RI commit ASEAN's sin?

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

JAKARTA (JP): There had been much anticipation that the advent
of a new government and climate of reform here would also usher a
new era of openness in Indonesia foreign policy.

Such expectations are expected to come to the fore during the
annual ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Ministerial
Meeting which starts Monday in Bangkok.

Indonesia, known in the past as a bastion of the association's
cardinal principle of non-intervention, was expected to bend
slightly in favor of a more open principle through flexible
engagement which has been touted for sometime by Thailand and the
Philippines.

As the "big brother" of ASEAN, Jakarta's acceptance, albeit
reticent, would go along way in influencing other members.

However, in the past fortnight what has emerged is not a
softening but a hardening of Indonesia's advocacy towards non-
intervention.

Both President Abdurrahman Wahid and Foreign Minister Alwi
Shihab have stressed that under no circumstances would Indonesia
tolerate any form of intervention in the Maluku islands despite
the inability of the government to quell 19-months of violence
that has afflicted the province.

In fact Alwi is expected to exploit the gathering in Bangkok
to enforce these views by going on the offensive and get an ASEAN
consensus on the issue.

Jakarta's position on the matter seems to hinge on two
underlying motives: desperation and to a lesser extent loyalty to
formally pronounced principles.

Desperation from the fact that any foreign presence to calm
the Maluku situation would further wane Abdurrahman's battered
government.

At this critical juncture of his government, Abdurrahman
cannot be seen as giving away one of the few precious things the
nation still has -- its pride, its sovereignty.

On the question of principle, it seems Jakarta's retractable
position looks to be based merely on the sake of principle for
the sake of principle itself without any real conviction.

It lacks consistency and flies in the face of what many have
said Abdurrahman Wahid stands for -- a democrat who advocates
pluralism and open societies.

International affairs researcher Rizal Sukma of the Center for
Strategic and International Studies pointed out, however, that
the President may himself have violated the principle of non-
intervention when he asked to meet with opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi during a visit to Myanmar last year.

Despite the formal stance that it would not tolerate a
deviation of the non-intervention policy, diplomats have already
conceded that the process of democratization in the country has
prompted changes in the practice of diplomacy.

"Indonesia is not completely closed," Adian Silalahi, Director
General for ASEAN at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, replied
when asked by The Jakarta Post about Indonesia's reaction if
domestic issues are discussed during the Bangkok meeting.

"We still adhere to those principles, but I believe that on
this issue (non-intervention) we are more open now," he added.

"It is no longer a principle which cannot be discussed.
Indonesia is more open, more flexible because of the
democratization process".

He cited the question of Aceh as an example.

"If it is brought up in ASEAN why not? Aceh is not like (our
past attitude) on East Timor," he said referring to Jakarta's
stern refusal for the issue to brought up in the past.

"If there are some ideas about it that's all right, as long as
it is strengthening our integrity and national sovereignty.

"We will not initiate (a discussion) on a domestic problem but
we will certainly not be intractable," he explained while adding
that Indonesia will not initiate discussions on other countries'
domestic matters.

Drawing on his own experience, Adian admits that the practice
of diplomacy now is less burdensome.

"In international forums now we have less of a burden. In the
past there were always instructions. Don't do this, don't do
that.

"This is completely a new face, the burden's gone. So our
foreign policy is actually now more active and flexible," Adian
remarked.

Researcher Rizal Sukma noted that Abdurrahman's government
faces a dilemma on the issue of balancing a desire to calibrate
the democratic reforms in the country with foreign policy while
not upsetting ASEAN's traditional position.

However, "if pressures for democratization grow and the role
of non-state actors increases, it is not unlikely that pressure
for change will heighten," he said.

Nevertheless, such a change is unlikely to occur in the near
future as domestic fears of foreign intervention, particularly
from "western" states will restrict such a shift.

A sudden change in Indonesia's position on non-interference
"goes against the current feelings of domestic insecurity,
internal vulnerability and susceptibility towards foreign
intervention," Rizal asserted.

Nevertheless, he asserts that Indonesia still needs to engage
in discussions and begin the process of formulating its position
on the matter in light of the increasing international trend for
humanitarian intervention.

Despite concerns, Rizal advocates an acceptance of "flexible
engagement" which would allow ASEAN members to raise domestic
issue which have a regional impact.

By accepting such a concept, which is expected to be pushed
forward again by ASEAN Ministerial Meeting chair Thai Foreign
Minister Surin Pitsuwan, Indonesia can show that it can
accommodate the dilemma for "order and justice" in the region.

"Indonesia should demonstrate that as a democratic state which
upholds human rights, it will not neglect rights violations,"
Rizal argued.

Similarly, political scientist J. Soedjati Djiwandono also
advocates the need for Indonesia, as the primus inter pares in
ASEAN, to take the lead in a review of the association's non-
intervention policy.

He blasted ASEAN's watered-down rhetoric of "constructive
engagement" in dealing with rights violations such as those
allegedly occurring in Myanmar.

"There needs to be a review of the politics of non-
interference," Soedjati said adding that only through this can
some "real meat" be given to constructive engagement.

While ASEAN ministers may adopt a new acceptable buzzword to
disguise their lack of progress on the issue during the two day
meeting in Bangkok, ASEAN will increasingly be cornered to
acknowledge that the development of good governance, construction
of a civil society and respect for human rights in a democratic
pluralistic society is the responsibility of all.

Concrete actions to honor these ideals must be taken which in
some form or another will compromise the sin of non-intervention.

The author is a staff-writer at The Jakarta Post.