Indonesian Overtures
pp. 5-6 · Read in the full issue
AUSTRALIANS who have long harboured suspi cions over what they perceive as Indonesian plans to subvert and gradually to supplant Australia’s in fluence in the Pacific have had, lately, much fuel for their disquiet. Recent overtures by Indonesia to Fiji and Papua New Guinea in particular have been seen as blatant at tempts to usurp power in areas once considered the do main of Australia.
Indonesia has moved swiftly and effectively to estab lish trade links with the Fijian republic. A high-level trade mission jetted to Suva after the second coup, offering in centives to increase trade and economic co-operation be tween the two countries. These included: a possible collaboration between Indonesia’s Garuda Airlines and Fiji’s Air Pacific; an offer 0f25,000 tonnes of rice; special trade finances; and, most disturbingly for Australia, an offer to supply the republic with an as yet unspecified number of ships and aircraft.
The trade plan was delivered with the comment that, ►
◄ given Australia’s continued non-recognition of the Fijian republic, it could not afford to be too surprised by the deal.
Fiji’s former allies, including Australia, will read much into any trade agreement. Trade opens the door to mili tary and political ties. It is now considered inevitable that Indonesia and Fiji will open embassies in each other’s capital, and it is no secret that Brigadier Rabuka is an ad mirer of the deep and pivotal role played by the armed forces in the affairs of Indonesia. Experts believe a mod ified version of that military role will be written into the
new Fijian constitution.
Such an ardent trade, political and military partner of Indonesia sitting just 3160 kilometres northeast of Syd ney must be a worrisome prospect for Australia.
And what of the $205,000 “donation” given to the then PNG Government minister, the now-disgraced Ted Diro, by Indonesia’s Commander in-Chief Benny Murdani?
Diro was at the time PNG Foreign Minister and as such guardian of PNG’s border with Indonesian-controlled Irian Jaya. If it had been vir tually anyone but the hard-
anyone but the hardline and politically powerful Mur dani, Diro’s claims that the sum was no more than a gift would be easier for Australia to accept.
The Indonesian strongman’s implacable hostility to Australia is well-documented, and the “gift” has been in terpreted by many as an attempt to meddle in the affairs of a country where Australia continues to exercise consid erable influence. The chilling implication is that Indo nesia is setting out to expand its influence in the Pacific: an influence based on military muscle rather than any sense of commonality with the region’s peoples.
To date, there has been no official comment from Aus tralia about the Indonesian activity. However, when For eign Minister Bill Hayden recently said that the South Pacific was showing signs of “strain and even turbulence” and that Australia would need to display more skill in safeguarding its interests in the area, he would be remiss if he did not have Indonesia on his mind.
Indonesia’s Murdani: hostile to Australia.