Violations of human rights

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 03/27/2006 8:56 AM  |  Opinion

Indonesia, Afghanistan and Iraq all are countries that at some point over the past 10 years have gone through violent political change resulting in gross violations of human rights, volatile economies and massive displaced sections of the population.

Although the reasons for these upheavals are different in each country, the resulting political landscape in all three countries has created a climate rich in ""tropical fruit"" ripe for the picking by greedy western countries.

As a result, Canada has befriended Afghanistan, America has befriended Iraq, and -- being the fine neighbor it is -- America has also befriended Indonesia with a visit from one of its most famous residents, Elmo, who is probably oblivious to the fact that Papuans are currently killing their fellow countrymen because the police are protecting American interests in the province.

Canada is a country of farmers, seal hunters and peacekeepers. And this country, repulsed by American-style violence and patriotism, was shocked by ""the pool of blood that dripped from the corpse ... [which] has seeped into the reputation of Canada's expanding military expedition in Afghanistan. A grieving family wants compensation. An independent investigation wants answers"". Suddenly its peacekeepers sound like Americans in Iraq killing innocent civilians in the name of democracy.

Much has been written about the war in Iraq -- all of it riveting -- and most of it overshadowing the true reason for the war. Finally, we have Elmo's visit to Indonesia, accompanied by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who ""reiterated her government's support for democracy in Indonesia through sustained diplomatic, economic and military cooperation.

""And in the 21st century, we must use our democratic partnerships to help people everywhere who long for a more hopeful future. We look to Indonesia to play a leadership role in Southeast Asia and in the dynamic changes in East Asia."" All of these changes will of course follow a path laid out by America with its own intentions and goals in mind.

Western nations, under the guise of progress and change, making their presence known in countries far different from their own with problems and challenges that do not exist in the developed world, are trying to assist countries steeped in political strife. The underlying assumption is that after a prolonged presence in these countries the agenda that the West is pushing can and will be realized.

The byproduct of this agenda is a constant stream of gripping headlines that will keep citizens of the ""so-called"" developed world from concentrating on problems in their own backyard. Move over MTV, as reality TV, in the form of a global military presence, live from the developing world has begun.

JOEL MARLOWE
Jakarta

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