President Soeharto:
Ever Stronger, Pressure From
Advanced Countries On Human
Rights And East Timor
Problems
Jakarta, Kompas Online June 17/97
President Soeharto stated that the pressure from the advanced countries
towards developing countries related with the problem of human rights, the
environment and democracy, is felt ever stronger. "You see for yourself, it
seems that the pressure is ever stronger against Indonesia, for instance
regarding human rights and East Timor. That pressure comes from the
Congress of the United States of America, from Senator Kennedy," the
Head of State answered questions from reporters at the Garuda Indonesia
plane MDS-11, Monday (16/6).
Therefore, said the President, exactly with that pressure, the Indonesian
people has to prove that human rights in Indonesia is performed as it is
conform the understanding and comprehension of the Indonesian nation.
At the meeting with the press which took place at the plane above
Sumatra, the President clarified in detail the results of the D-8 Summit
which took place in Instanbul, Turkey, Sunday (15/6).
The President clarified that of the eight developing countries which made
the D-8, two are from Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, while Central Asia was
represented by Turkey and Iran and South Asia was represented by
Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia by Malaysia and Indonesia.
"Those eight countries are determined to establish a forum of cooperation
in development," the President said.
Then the Head of State clarified why those eight countries were
determined to form a development cooperation forum. "After we evaluated
the situation of the post cold war world together, we hoped for the
realization of peace and security, safety in the working region in such a
form, that the developing countries had the opportunity to develop and
improve their economy," the President clarified.
But, the President stressed, the situation was very different.
"War still happened in some countries, safety was very disturbed, that the
progress of advanced countries was not so heartening, eventhough
progress of some developing countries were very steady," the President
showed.
Also apparent, said the Head of State, were efforts from the developed
countries in protecting their interests, they related matters which were
actually irrelevant, so that all disturbed the efforts of the developing
countries to perform development." For instance about human rights, the
problem of democracy, the labour problem etc," the President said.
Being aware of this all, said the President, the developing countries were
convinced of the importance of the increase of South-South cooperation,
because expecting aid or extended hands from those developed countries
which proved not to be realized. Therefore, the Head of State continued,
many developing countries through various organizations of the non
allianced movement (GNB), G-15, the Group of 77 already attempted to
increase. But it seemed to big, so that these 8 countries wished to increase
it more, in order that the Sout-South cooperation might give better results
for the big benefits of the developing countries.
"These eight countries do not represent a territory nor a group, but are
only from each country which is convinced to pioneer in development
cooperation in the developing countries. This forum forms also not an
organization which represents the territory of the country nor a closed, but
open organization. Other countries can enter at whatever time. But at least
the results of the cooperation of these eight countries can be enjoyed by
other countries," the President clarified.
According to the President, the eight countries in implementing
development stipulated six human principles. Namely peace which means
no war, dialogue which means no confrontation, cooperation which means
no exploitation, equality which means no discrimination, justice which
means no arbitrarity, democracy which means no oppression. "We use
these six human principles to implement cooperation. We expect that this
cooperation can really produce results," said the Head of State.
Therefore, the President continued, the D-8 does not want sweet
stipultions of cooperation but realistic ones, pragmatic and feasible. This
cooperation is also already decided in all fields, including political
consultations as well as cooperation in the international fora.
Some fields in cooperation were also agreed, among others in trade,
industry, telecommunication, banking, agriculture, rural regions including
the poverty problem, also manpower resources. These fields are entrusted
to each of the nations to coordinate certain fields. Bangladesh to
coordinate rural regions, Indonesia to coordinate the alleviation of poverty
and coordinate manpower resources.
"The projects to be choosen by each field are feasible, realistic, pragmatic
and describe also efforts to alleviate said poverty. To be able to overcome
this all, the organization is of course the Summit Conference, Council and
Commission. Then the experts of all countries will discuss all which has
been entrusted to each member country and further conveyed to become a
Summit resolution," thus the President clarified.
This, he continued, is no group decision, so that the member countries are
not bound in the frame of implementing the commitment of neither bilateral
nor multilateral cooperation. So not at all leaving everything, but this is the
wish to exhibit increase of efficiency in cooperation between the
developing nations, particularly the D-8.
The President stated that the meetings will further be attempted annually,
automatically preceeded by a ministerial meeting which will be held two
times a year and a meeting of senior officials and all will discuss the results
of the work group consisting of experts from each country which will
discuss each of mentioned projects.
It had been decided that the Summit for the next year will be held in
Bangladesh conform the alphabetical order. Actually was agreed Indonesia
as host. But Indonesia objected because 1998 would have the MPR
General Session, then the forming of the new government, to study the
GBHN and Repelita so that it was impossible. Therefore was decided to
use the alphabetic order and Bangladesh was appointed.
Asked about the financing of the projects, the President stated that if the
projects already formed a program, naturally each govt would implement
it. "For instance the problem of poverty which is no certain project but is
implemented by each country. The method to alleviate poverty will be
financed based on the ability of each country," the President answered.
About the possibility of overlapping with the GBN, G-15 and other fora in
South-South the President said, exactly because the former fora like G-15,
GBN etc were known to be too big and not very effective yet, the eight
countries had minimized the forum so that the South-South cooperation
could be felt more effective and could be felt by the D-8.
"That feeling of concern is there indeed, because the cooperation is not yet
as what we expected. We tried with a smaller scope to be able to pioneer
in South-South cooperation, so we try not to overlap among the
interorganizational forces and the member countries. Therefore, if it already
exists no need to be attempted by the D-8," the President said.
Answering other questions, the President also clarified about the discussion
of the D-8 Secretariat. "About the Summit, the SOM has its coordinator in
the sense of only for coordination, regarding the place. for the time being is
agreed Istanbul and the Turkish govt has reserved a place, the costs for
one year etc." thus the President's clarification about said secretariat. (*) |
