Australia’s Boat Policy Rebuked

Jakarta Globe, Vanesha Manuturi, January 8, 2014

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa talks to journalists during
 a press conference following the Special Conference on Irregular Movement
of Persons in Jakarta on August 20, 2013. (EPA Photo)

Indonesia rebukes Australia’s policy in turning the boats of asylum-seekers back to the country’s waters, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said during his annual speech on Tuesday in Jakarta.

The most recent incident reportedly happened last month when a vessel of about 47 people, mostly from Sudan and Somalia, was forced back to Indonesian waters by the Australian navy, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The broadcaster reported that the boat later ran out of fuel, before washing ashore on Rote Island, East Nusa Tenggara on Dec. 19 and those on board were picked up by Indonesian authorities.

“[Turning back the boats] is not the solution. If we all practice the same thing, when will the issue end?” Marty said. “We are hoping for a better solution.”

However, Marty declined to comment on the operational details of the incident, deferring it to the Coordinating Ministry of Political Affairs and Defense.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Immigration Minister Scott Morrison remained mum on the issue, stating that: “For operational security reasons, the government does not disclose, confirm or otherwise comment on reports of on-water activities in relation to Operation Sovereign Borders.”

Operation Sovereign Borders is Australia’s military-led program to hinder smugglers in bringing asylum-seekers to Australia, mostly on rickety fishing boats from Indonesia.

With the policy, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s government will turn back boats, with the possibility of violating Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty.

Hundreds of people have drowned in the past few years as they desperately attempted to reach Australia, often on fragile, wooden boats.

The relationship between Australia and Indonesia has strained ever since the Australian government was reportedly found spying on several top Indonesia officials in November.

According to Marty, the current state of the relationship is an aberration, not the rule. He believes the relationship should reconcile in due time, but not instantly.

“Diplomacy, foreign affairs and the relations among nations is a process, not an event, or something that can be simply restored by several declarations,” he said.

“What’s needed is a gradual restoration of confidence and trust.”

Marty pointed to the six-point roadmap introduced by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Nov. 26. “We are currently on the first phase of the roadmap,” he said.

The first phase of the roadmap is to continue communications and discussions between the neighboring countries on sensitive and important issues.

In the implementation of the roadmap, the minister met with his Australian counterpart, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, in December, and he has been in constant communication with Bishop since.

Following talks and establishment of agreements, the second step would be to discuss codes of conduct and protocols.

No deadline has been set for this.

During the annual statement on Tuesday, the minister also affirmed that Indonesian foreign policies will continue to focus on three challenges in the Asia-Pacific region: trust deficits, territorial disputes, and geopolitical, geo-economic shifts.

“I believe that amongst the most fundamental and basic challenge in front of us must be the maintenance of the region’s peace and security. This has been, and will continue to be, Indonesia’s principal priority in 2014,” Marty said.

After all, he continued, these conditions are the prerequisites to the region’s continued economic progress and prosperity.

“Therefore, there can be no complacency. Peace must be waged. Prosperity must be secured.”

Marty said that the region is now witnessing various seemingly contradictory symptoms, citing that at a time when the Southeast Asia region is entering that final stretch towards Asean Community 2015, East Asia is showing signs of rising tensions and uncertainties.

“At a time when the economies of the region are more intertwined and interdependent than ever before signs of trust deficits are ever more prevalent.

“And at a time when the advantages of peaceful settlement of disputes are self evident, there are signs that unilateral approaches are instead being preferred,” Marty commented.

Therefore, Indonesia’s foreign policy in 2014, he said, would continue to vigorously address the aforementioned triple challenges, in Indonesia’s view, of Asia and the Pacific region

“Indonesia in essence will try to convert the ‘trust deficits’ evident in much of the region to a ‘strategic trust’,” Marty said, adding that the country would also actively attempt to set aside the use or the threat of use of force as a means to solve territorial disputes, while mediating all disputing countries to use diplomacy and negotiation solve problems.

— Additional reporting from Agence France-Presse