Post the death of Soeharto was exposed some historical facts about the close linkage between US and the former second Indonesian President. One of the facts is indiscriminate support of US to the Indonesian strong man in abusing the democracy and human rights. “Amongst thousands pages of documents on relation between Indonesia and US, even no piece of documents reveals the facts that US president gained his strong influence to the regime so as to respect human rights and democracy.” Said Brad Simpson of US National Security Achieves. (Jawa Pos, 30/1)
One of myths that is refuted by IR Realists’ supporters is the strong nexus between democratic countries and their commitments to human rights. State genuinely is formed to implement its national interests. The national interests are defined as the interests of state’s sustainability either ideally (maximation of power and hegemony) or pragmatically (survival and security).
To pursue its hegemonic national interests, a state will project its international order based on balance of power through military and political alliances because, in realists’ perspective, international system is continuously delineated in anarchy and chaos. Hence, it yields so called ‘security dilemma’. The existence of a state will be considered to be a threat for its neighbors or vice versa. In the anarchic international system, morality is not valued but competition and hegemony.
We see the character of US ‘lone superpower’ foreign policy in that sense. There is no extreme disparity in its foreign policy between Republicans and Democrats because the US interests are actually forged by the impacts of its victory in World War II and Cold War. Along the US changing presidents since WW II, either from Republicans or Democrats, US had gloomy records of indiscriminate supports to and installment of many dictators, abuses of human rights and even embattling many democratically elected leaders as long as its national interests kept unchallenged.
In terms of Suharto and US relation, Indonesia is US’s close ally. Based on Monroe doctrine, in efforts to prevent domino effects of communists’ victory in Southeast Asia post the collapse of South Vietnam Regime, Indonesia was perceived as a focal point for US to block the communism wave. US, therefore, helped to oust Sukarno by supporting Suharto as well as managed its aftermath, i.e. political maintenance of Suharto regime at any cost until post Cold War. US intentionally designed Indonesian economy model, funneled financial and military aid and back-up to New Order Regime, gave a green light to annex East Timor, and eliminate Political Islam as well as acted ignorance over abuse of human rights and democracy in Indonesia, although many US presidents changed and met with Suharto during his 32 years’ tenure. The documents speak no new facts but merely portray US real foreign policy.
2 Komentar
saya Awigra, mahasiswa Pasca Sarjana UI, sedang meneliti keterlibatan AS mendukung rezim anti demokrasi dan pelanggar HAM... Salut untuk blog anda.. Semoka kita bisa berkorespondensi... email saya: awigra@gmail.com
salam dari Jakarta
Posted on 18 Desember 2010 pukul 14.05
Terima kasih.
Posted on 11 Januari 2011 pukul 06.08
Posting Komentar
Silahkan mengisi komentar dan masukan yang konstruktif dibawah ini: