At the outset, I would like to thank the Indonesian Association of New South Wales for their kind invitation for me to attend the Indonesian Night 2003. It is a great honour for me to be here this evening to celebrate the 58th year of Indonesia's independence.

I am particularly happy to be here and it is indeed heartening that our Australian friends have joined us in celebrating the independence of our nation. Such coming-together reflects the wonderful relationship between our two countries apart from what happened in Bali last October; this relationship is sure to be further strengthened over the years to come.

At this time I feel it pertinent to recall that the friendship between Indonesia and Australia dates back to the very beginning of Indonesia's struggle to defend its proclamation of independence on the 17th of August 1945. Following the proclamation, the returning Dutch colonial power tried to recapture its colony but was instead resisted by the newly proclaimed Republic of Indonesia and inevitably, skirmishes and fighting broke out in many parts of Indonesia. A conflict situation emerged and generated widespread international concern. It was Australia that took the initiative to submit the conflict to the Security Council of the United Nations as a case of decolonisation. This crucial initiative and support for a complicated and delicate diplomatic process by Australia, was certainly motivated by more than simple sympathy for a neighbour's plight in fighting for its nationhood. It was a show of human sentiment and solidarity. As a result, a Three-Power UN Goodwill Commission was established and Australia, chosen by Indonesia, agreed to represent Indonesia and serve on the commission. For this, and many other factors, Australia will always have a place in the heart of every Indonesian.

One cannot talk about the independence of Indonesia without discussing our national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, that is Unity in Diversity. Indonesia is one country formed from an archipelago over eighteen thousand different islands and approximately three hundred different ethnic groups. Each of these ethnic groups possesses a rich and diverse array of customs, beliefs and language. Despite some internal challenges, the people of Indonesia are able to join together as one nation, unified through its diversity. Like Australia, Indonesia is a country that cherishes its cultural diversity rather than attempting to hide or absorb it into one mass culture.

Only through this acceptance and celebration of diversity and multiculturalism can a nation stay united and be strong.

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika must not be seen as a mere motto or a string of meaningless words. Rather, this phrase should be considered for what it is, the foundation upon which the independence of Indonesia rests. Without the unity of all those who became Indonesians in 1945, the struggle for independence may not have succeeded. What is more, if we were to forget the true meaning of those words, the future of Indonesia would surely not be as bright as we expected. History has taught us that conflicts between ethnic groups, races, and religions only ruin a nation.

To conclude, I wish to call upon all of us to seize this momentous event to revive the importance of the words Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and what they mean to you and to Indonesia as a whole.

Finally, I would like to wish everybody here a happy Independence Day.

Imron Cotan
Charge d'Affaires/Minister