Jakarta Globe, Bastiaan Scherpen, March 24, 2016
Jakarta. Indonesia and the Netherlands must have the courage to confront the difficult periods and events in their common past to be able to move forward together, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders told students in Jakarta on Thursday.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, left, with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in Jakarta on Thursday. (Reuters Photo/Darren Whiteside) |
Jakarta. Indonesia and the Netherlands must have the courage to confront the difficult periods and events in their common past to be able to move forward together, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders told students in Jakarta on Thursday.
"After
the birth of the Republik Indonesia on Aug. 17, 1945, we experienced a painful
separation, a process marked by terrible violence," Koenders said. "The
deployment of military force in 1947 put the Netherlands on the wrong side of
history."
"The
years after the Proklamasi [declaration of independence] had lasting
consequences for those suffering during that time — both Indonesians and
Dutch," the minister added. "I believe this is a history that we
should have the courage to examine and discuss, lest we forget. And we
preferably do this together."
Historical
sensitivities
Only in
2005 did a Dutch foreign minister, Ben Bot, openly recognize Aug. 17, 1945 as
the date when the Indonesian republic came into existence, clearing the way for
better bilateral ties. Previously, Dutch officials had insisted that Indonesia
only became independent on Dec. 27, 1949, when the Netherlands formally
relinquished sovereignty to its former colony.
Relations
between the two countries have improved significantly since Bot's
acknowledgement, and the formal apology by the Dutch government in 2013 for massacres committed in South Sulawesi to quell resistance against Dutch rule.
Some
experts in Indonesia and in the Netherlands have been calling for a more
open-minded approach to the common Dutch-Indonesian past for years.
Koenders
insisted on Thursday that "even with all its ups and downs, our shared
history offers a sound basis for building a shared future."
Agreeing to
disagree
At the
Dutch cultural center Erasmus Huis in Kuningan, South Jakarta, where he
delivered his speech, the minister told the Jakarta Globe that he believed
Indonesia-Netherlands relations currently were "really at a high
level."
"They
are at a high level because we discuss all issues openly, with a lot of trust
in each other," Koenders explained. "As you know, for instance we
have different views on the death penalty, so we will discuss that — not only
in terms of judging, but also in working, for instance right now, on drugs
policy, together."
Koenders
also met with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi and other ministers
earlier in the day. Human rights, long an important pillar of Dutch foreign policy, were on the agenda, the Dutch government said in a statement.
Last year
the Dutch ambassador in Jakarta was briefly recalled to The Hague after the
execution of a Dutch drug convict in Indonesia. The move does not appear to
have had a major impact on trade ties, however, as the Netherlands still ranked fourth in investment realization in Indonesia for 2015, outperforming economic
giants such as China and the United States.
The
rejection of the death penalty is a point on which "we agree to disagree
[with Indonesia]," the minister told the Globe. He added that "we
have questions whether it [capital punishment] can be effective in tackling
drugs issues," but that does not prevent the two countries from working
together "in a very productive and positive ambiance."
On the
rights of LGBT people in Indonesia, which has been a highly controversial topic in recent months, Koenders said: "For me, that's a question of human
rights, it's not an issue to be politicized."
"They
have the right to be protected [from violence], all over the world, and I think
that is also something that your minister of security [Luhut Panjaitan]
mentioned in his public statement."
Luhut,
Indonesia's coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs,
said last month that LGBT people, as citizens of Indonesia, have the right tobe protected against violence and to be treated humanely, although he also said
he believed they needed to be "cured."
Areas of
cooperation
In his
speech, Koenders identified several main issues that he said are important both
for the European Union and for the members of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations, which is dominated by Indonesia due to the size of its economy
and population.
The
minister singled out migration crises, foreign terrorist fighters and domestic
violent extremists, freedom of navigation and maritime security, and keeping
the Internet open and secure. In practical terms, he said Dutch-Indonesia
cooperation was centered around the maritime economy, education and issues
related to the rule of law.
On the
tensions in the South China Sea, where China has been increasingly assertive in
staking its claim to almost the entire area, Koenders said that the Netherlands
does not take sides in territorial disputes. He added however that
"freedom of navigation and maritime security are absolutely vital, not
only for your [Indonesia's] safety and prosperity, but also for the rest of the
world."
"There
are many opportunities for us to deepen our friendship and collaboration even
further, for example in the areas of trade and investment, the judicial sector
and counterterrorism," he said. "Our relationship should be
forward-looking. It should be an equal partnership. We should build on our
common past, not be hostages to it."
Equal Partners: Indonesian FM Retno Marsudi Meets Dutch Counterpart Bert Koenders @Portal_Kemlu_RI @DutchMFA pic.twitter.com/2KloUnMOrc— The Jakarta Globe (@thejakartaglobe) March 24, 2016
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