The Jakarta Post, Fri, 12/12/2008 10:45 AM
Indonesia lost a great man Thursday with the news of the passing away of former foreign minister Ali Alatas. More than a diplomat -- a profession that he engaged in for most of his career life -- Alatas was a true statesman in every sense of the word.
We have all the more reason to mourn his death because statesmanship is a rare quality found among Indonesia's leadership today.
Alatas, ever loyal to whomever he served, managed to come away with his integrity largely in tact even when his bosses became tainted and condemned by corruption and other scandals.
Alatas served as foreign minister under president Soeharto in 1988-1998 and under president B.J. Habibie in 1998-1999. He continued to act as foreign policy advisor to successive presidents -- Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri and now Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
He was never a politician, but he served his country and his nation so well, more so than many of his peers during his lifetime.
He was indispensable.
Indonesia has a lot to thank him for, as he managed to maintain the nation's standing and integrity in the international community when the country was beset with problems at home that could have sullied its image, from rampant corruption, widespread human rights abuses and environmental problems that troubled our neighbors to gross mismanagement of the country.
His biggest contributions as Indonesia's chief diplomat included helping to negotiate peace in Cambodia and to a lesser extent, the southern Philippines.
He was also the main driver in the development and expansion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the 1990s, which would become one of the most successful regional organizations in the world.
He somewhat defied the notion that Indonesia's foreign policy could not be completely detached from domestic issues and challenges.
Even as trouble continually beset his home country, his leadership, personality, character, negotiating skills and articulation helped to bring international accolades for Indonesia.
He faced his biggest test as foreign minister in handling Indonesia's occupation of East Timor, an issue he fondly described as "a pebble in the shoe" -- a continuous irritation in Indonesia's diplomacy.
Events at home twice botched his diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue in the international arena.
The first was the massacre of East Timorese mourners in Dili, capital of East Timor, by the Indonesian Military, in 1991, which happened just as Indonesia was about to reach an agreement with Portugal and the UN resolving the issue.
The second time came in 1999 when President Habibie put on the table an option of a referendum for East Timorese while Alatas and his Portuguese counterpart were putting on the final touches of a widespread autonomy arrangement for East Timor under Indonesia's rule.
On both occasions, he felt betrayed by his own bosses, but he never let his feelings get in his way and each time he resumed his work and made the best out of a bad situation.
Alatas also helped to negotiate the often troubled relations Indonesia had with its southern neighbor Australia as well as with other neighbors in Southeast Asia.
Not surprisingly, because of his reputation in the world of diplomacy, Alatas' name came up among favorite candidates being considered for the UN Secretary-General position in 1997. Alas, fate would have it differently.
Ever a true diplomat, Alatas continued to attend national day receptions hosted by foreign embassies in Jakarta even in his old age. He could be humorous at these receptions, but he still chose his words carefully and never spoke ill of his former bosses when others easily condemned them.
He was a statesman extraordinaire.
Indonesia will miss him dearly. Farewell Pak Alex.
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