By the end of 2008, Indonesia has officially done its significant efforts aimed to manage a conducive and cohesive security environment in the international community through the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Indonesia has officially joined a temporary member of the UNSC as of 1 January last year until 31 December 2008. Indonesia was chosen as member with 82.3 percent votes, with the support of 158 countries out of 192. During the voting, Indonesia beat the other Asian candidate, Nepal. However, By the end of this year Indonesia will give its temporary seat to Japan as the new Asia’s delegate in the council.
UNSC is well known as the prestigious council to be seated in order to maintain security environment in the international scale, Indonesia itself has given its significant roles and joined in the UNSC for two-years-period since 2007. Realizing the ends of Indonesia’s role in the UNSC in the next couple of days, several questions are appear to be answered whether what have been done by Jakarta during its task? Regardless our contribution in the UNSC, the concept of diplomacy seems important to be examined as the only foreign policy tool that we possess to solve the problems that occurred.
As we know that Diplomacy has become important elements of Indonesian foreign policy. Indonesia has participated active in some international problems and try to solve those problems almost using one instrument, Diplomacy. The basic notion one needs to understand about foreign policy is that it basically an “action theory”, or to put it in other words, a policy of a country directed toward the other in order to achieve a specific interest. foreign policy is set of guidance to choose certain policy or action directed toward the outside territory of that state.
Diplomacy, foreign policy and national interests are could not be separated. While Indonesia utilized diplomacy as its foreign policy tool in the UNSC, Indonesia seems still using the concept of free and active policy as the guideline of Indonesian Foreign Policy which means the policy that determines Indonesia’s role to not being an object in facing the problems in the global order but act as a subject with its own role and not to be under controlled by the major powers. However, something interesting must be noted that Indonesia gave its four abstain voices in the UNSC during its period; many said Indonesia did not have any stances and emphasizing the play-safe system to solve the problems in the UNSC.
First in the Myanmar case, Indonesia gave its abstain simply to prevent Myanmar (which also be known as part of ASEAN) from any sanctions that could bring negative impacts for ASEAN as a whole, a fear that Myanmar would act arbitrary leaving ASEAN while ASEAN needs Myanmar in term of its oil supply has become one of the reasons not to give a harsh sanction to Myanmar and implementing a constructive engagement policy seems more appropriate. On the other side, implementing non-interference policy to Myanmar is also the reason why Jakarta not in favor to give a sanction in the council. As the result, Indonesia’s decision not to support a UNSC resolution against Myanmar came as a disappointment to those hoping to see the promotion of democracy as a feature of Indonesian diplomacy.
Second in the Lebanon case, Indonesia voted abstain on the creation of an international tribunal to prosecute individuals suspected of involvement in the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri. Indonesia firmly agreed on the execution but by utilizing the 7th chapter of UN Charter to punish all suspects would disrupting Lebanon’s constitution and intervening its domestic affairs.
In November 2007, Indonesia was chosen to be a president of Security Council just for a month. Indonesia had a plan to raise thematic issue related to enhance a regional cooperation to promote security and stability in international community. The working program was adopted without protracted debates. At this time all delegates accepted Indonesia’s plan and send their support when Indonesia explained the program to enhance a regional cooperation and to promote security in each region.
Third is the Zimbabwe’s issues in 2008, Indonesia voted abstain to impose sanctions towards Zimbabwe regarding the violences and intimidations directed towards the opposition forces led to the withdrawal of opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change which have affected peace and security in the region. Indonesia preferred to make a constructive dialogue rather than implementing a contradiction policy with imposing Zimbabwe with any sanctions. Indonesia was questioning whether those sanctions would encourage reconciliation in Zimbabwe or in the other way; the sanctions would indeed disrupting Zimbabwe and adding new problems rather than solving the issue. Indonesia was agreed that the UNSC had to act distinctly to eradicate such political violences in Zimbabwe but without imposing such sanctions.
In addition, Indonesia also vote for abstain in the Iranian problem related to the sanctions on Iran over its nuclear development program included inspection of ships suspected of carrying prohibited goods, tighter monitoring of financial institutions and extension of travel bans and asset freezes in 2008. Indonesia argued additional sanctions against Iran were not the best way at that time realizing the cooperation between Iran and IAEA which have been established to tackle the problem. On the other hand, Indonesia voted to abstain in the last resolution on Iran to prevent a political havoc at home realizing mostly Indonesian citizens are Muslim.
Four abstain at the UNSC showed a pragmatic diplomacy than has been implemented by Jakarta, weighing every international issue in terms of its benefits for the nation. Even though, all decisions apparently showed Indonesia did not have any clear stance positions, implementing a play-safe policy, and seems so flustered to take a step, all decisions were still in one line with our national priorities and our national interest; managing international security without intervening others domestic affairs and using diplomacy first to solve the problems. Two-years-term in the UNSC has increased Indonesia’s leverage in the international community as a democratic country with the world’s largest Muslim population which implements a positive and moderate thoughts for a better international system. Although Indonesia does not involve anymore as a temporary member in the UNSC, Hopefully Indonesia would still play a significant role to maintain international peace and security through various events in the next period.