Diplomatic community lauds RI’s peaceful democracy

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 07/02/2009 11:40 AM  |  World

Deans club: United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Indonesia Yousif R. Alsharhan (second left), who is also the dean of diplomatic corps in Indonesia, chats with Panamanian Ambassador and Dean of Hispano-Latin America and Caribbean Diplomats, Raul Antonio Eskildsen Arias (left), Algerian Ambassador and Dean of African Diplomats, Hamza Yahia-Cherif (second right), and Serbian Ambassador and Dean of European diplomats, Zoran Kazazovic during a meeting at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday. JP/Nurhayati

The diplomatic community commended Indonesia for its mature democracy, with no major cases of violence reported during elections so far, the dean of the diplomatic corps said Tuesday.

Indonesia held a peaceful legislative election in April in which about 171 million people were listed to go to the poll booths. On July 8, the world’s third-largest democracy will hold its second direct presidential election.  

“There is no fear [about the election here],” United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Indonesia Yousif
R. Alsharhan, who is also the dean of diplomatic corps in Indonesia, said after holding a meeting of regional deans at the  Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta.    

The meeting was attended by Algerian Ambassador and Dean of African Diplomats, Hamza Yahia-Cherif,  Panamanian Ambassador and Dean of Hispano-Latin America and Caribbean Diplomats, Raul Antonio Eskildsen Arias, Serbian Ambassador and Dean of European Diplomats, Zoran Kazazovic, and  the Czech Ambassador Pavel Rezac, whose country held the EU presidency until Tuesday.      

“Democracy is not interrupting anything. The election here is peaceful,” Alsharhan said, adding
it was a great achievement as elections in other countries often lead to violence.

He said there were no complaints from more than 80 diplomatic missions in Jakarta regarding their activities during elections.

He also praised the presidential debate among the three candidates, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Jusuf Kalla, saying he was impressed by the bluntness of each candidate in expressing their opinions.       

“Compared to other countries, Indonesia is more advanced in practicing democracy,” Alsharhan, who had been ambassador in five different countries before coming to Jakarta, said.

“Indonesia is the best ([in terms of democracy].” The regional groups also include ASEAN, East Asia, and European Union, he said.

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