SPEECH BY
CHARGE D'AFFAIRS/DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION
OF THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY AT THE LAUNCHING OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEERS IN INDONESIA
Melbourne, 23 May 2002
In the name of God, the most compassionate and merciful,Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,Mr. Bill Armstrong, CEO of Australian Volunteers International, Ms. Jenny McGregor, CEO of Asia Link, and Mr. Harold Crouch, a former Volunteer to Indonesia.
It is indeed a great honor for me to partake in this august event to mark the golden anniversary of the Australian Volunteers in Indonesia through this outstanding photographic exhibition encapsulating the era of the late prominent Indonesian specialist - our guru Herbert Feith - to the present day.
We regard this as a very important exhibition, for it not only provides us with a great deal of priceless information in a permanent form, but it also helps us to remind how the Australian Volunteers - most of them young people - devoted their time, energy and understanding to helping the newly born country overwhelmed with many daunting tasks in improving its people well-being. The exhibition also brings us the message of how the work of the volunteer have become a catalyst in the development of our 'people-to-people' relationship, which in many ways could be construed as the essence of the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Australia.
It is against this backdrop that, I wish to crystal-clearly state that my government highly values the work of Australian Volunteers International especially in helping increase the mutual understanding between our two peoples.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Indeed, the willingness of the Australian Volunteers to share their expertise with the Indonesian communities, has genuinely solidified the mutual understanding among them, an element that significantly contributes to the furtherance of relationship between the two countries.
As we are all well aware both countries are destined to be neighbors. It is however to be admitted that a culture-divide existing between the two nations may create hurdles of immense magnitude for us to overcome. At the same time, we should also acknowledge that the two countries share an abundance of common interests, which we should jointly embark upon for our mutual benefit. Indeed, rather than exploiting the differences we should instead focus our attention to explore and develop ways and means to improve our cooperation in areas of mutual concern.
I am gratified to note the fact that when the 'government-to-government' relations encountered difficulties the 'people-to-people' contacts - to which you have given significant contribution over the past 50 years - continue unabated.
Better still, since its early inception, we have found that the programs of the Australian Volunteers have always been tailored to serve the needs of the Indonesian people. To date we are embarking upon a new era of reforms in which the regions through the autonomy programs play an important role. These programs would not only present formidable challenges to the regions, but also provide them with greater opportunities. This situation - in my view - merits our serious attention.
I wish therefore to seize this opportunity to call upon all Indonesia's friends, especially the Australian Volunteers, to once again play their historical role to help ensure that all regions in Indonesia will successfully carry out this up-hill task. I am encouraged to read a report portraying that several regions in Indonesia, especially in its eastern flank, have responded positively to the presence and the contribution of the Australian Volunteers. As a representative of my government, I could only hope that this priceless contribution would continue in the future.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As events in the past have indicated, dialogue and understanding at the level of the grass-root people can prove to be crucial in nurturing bilateral relations. This endeavor, you are now undertaking, is only one of the many examples. It would therefore less than candid should I fail to pay tribute to the organizing committee of this exhibition, especially the photographers, who have done tremendous job in documenting the work of the Australian Volunteers operating in Indonesia.
To sum up, allow me to reiterate my conviction that in order to bring a better future for our relations we have to choose, not just to remain good neighbors and good friends, but to become better neighbors and better friends. And, I am proud to state hereby that the Australian Volunteers have been playing a pivotal role in this regard.Allow me now to officially launch this exhibition in the hope that it would achieve its targeted objective.
Finally, may the Almighty God shower us with his divine blessings enabling us therefore to further excel the relations between our two great nations.
Melbourne, 23 May 2002
lmron Cotan
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Canberra - Australia