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.