Indonesia likely to raise issue on Myanmar polls

CONCERNS on democratic reform including credible elections in Myanmar is likely to be raised during the talks between the leaders of military junta and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on his three-day introductory visit to the country.

"The latest development of Asean cooperation will be among other issues to be discussed, but of course the topic of discussion can also be branched out on the ground," said Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.

He said that Marty, who was appointed to take the Indonesia foreign affairs ministerial post in October 2009, is scheduled to swing to Myanmar capital Yangon today and meet Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Nyan Win and Prime Minister Thein Sein.

"The trip is in conjunction with his [Marty] introduction as a new foreign minister in Asean and to attend the invitation of his counterpart the Myanmar's foreign minister," said Faizasyah.

Myanmar is planning to hold its first election since 1990, though no specific date has been set by the ruling junta.

Yulius Purwadi Hermawan, an international relations expert from Universitas Parahyangan in Indonesia, said that during this introductory visit, the foreign affairs minister will seems to ask the ruling junta about the elections and its commitment for democracy.

"But, it seems that the ruling junta will remain inflexible despite all pressures," Purwadi said, adding that at least the visit shows a concrete step to initiate serious change.

Concurring with Purwadi, Bridget Welsh, an expert on Southeast Asia at the Singapore Management University, said that the visit is very important as Indonesia has been urging Myanmar to accept observers to legitimise the election and assure a free and fair process.

"The relationship with Myanmar and Asean cannot be boiled down to the elections alone," Welsh said.

"Hopefully, the discussion of institutional capacity, meeting humanitarian needs and improving governance will be raised [by Indonesia]," she said.

Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, Brad Adams, stressed three important issues of Myanmar polls, diplomacy and sanctions, that Indonesia should address in anticipation with its foreign minister visit to Myanmar. The letter was published on the Human Rights Watch website dated march 28, 2010.

"Indonesia has important experiences it could impart to Burma [Myanmar] on the transition to democracy from authoritarian rule, staging democratic elections, and implementing economic reforms," Adams wrote in the letter entitled "Letter to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa Regarding his Upcoming Trip to Burma." The Brunei Times