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span class="caption" style="width: 398px;">All for democracy: Heads of state/government from around the world attend the fourth Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday. The forum focuses on efforts to boost public participation in democratic decision-making processes. JP/Agung ParameswaraPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the fourth Bali Democracy Forum on Thursday by announcing that the winds of democracy were sweeping through many parts of the world.

Yudhoyono gave particular praise for the rapid progress seen in North Africa including in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt and in the Middle East, where several states are transforming into fully fledged democracies.

He also said the ongoing situation in Myanmar was encouraging after the junta had shown greater flexibility toward democratic elements in the impoverished country.

“Perhaps the most significant development has been seen in North Africa and the Middle East — what is now known as the Arab Spring — which has produced rapid political changes that none of us expected,” the President said at the two-day meeting.

Citing Indonesia’s own experience after the forced resignation of Soeharto to end his dictatorship in 1998, Yudhoyono warned that transformation processes could be very painful.

According to Yudhoyono, every democratic nation, especially those in the process of transition, should remain vigilant as conflicts could emerge at any time.

“We remain vigilant as Indonesia is not totally free from the prospects of new communal conflicts flaring up.

“And this is a problem that is also faced by other nations that are undergoing democratic transition,” Yudhoyono said.

Meanwhile, the forum’s co-chairwoman and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the current BDF theme was most appropriate at a time when an increasing portion of the world’s population were demanding democracy as their preferred form of government.

“It is also important to keep thinking of better ways to keep the already democratic governments truly representative of their people’s wishes,” she said.

This year, the BDF is attended by eight state leaders, including Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Qatari PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani. Other delegations from the Middle East, including from Bahrain, attracted special attention from other participants.

Qatar’s prime minister said his country had been siding with the Arab people’s demands for reform since the very beginning, when the first signs of the Arab revolutions had shown a positive inclination toward democratization.

“Qatar could not stand aloof watching these people being brutally repressed, therefore Qatar took the initiative and provided political and moral support to the people of Tunisia and Egypt,” he said.

In addition, Qatar was also the first Arab country and second country in the world to recognize the transitional council in Libya as being the legitimate representative of the Libyan people, he said.

“We are here to express our deep sorrow for the suffering experienced by the Yemeni people in the cause of achieving their hopes and aspirations,” Sheikh Hamad said.

He also condemned the repression and killing of Syrians who had committed no crimes other than demanding reform.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the steady increase in the number of participating countries was a sign that the forum had been widely acknowledged in the region thanks to its non-judgmental characteristics.

“The forum has grown increasingly substantive in promoting dialogue and cooperation on political development and the promotion of democracy in the region,” he said.

In line with this year’s theme, “Enhancing Democratic Participation in a Changing World: Responding to Democratic Voices”, the forum would identify and further elaborate on two things: the ability of states to positively respond to the voice of democracy, and the way to ensure democratic space for broad participation in public policy decision-making processes, Marty said.

The first and second BDFs recognized the importance of building a robust democratic community and the indivisible relationship between democracy and economic development. And in the third forum, all states were encouraged to ensure the attainment of democratic dividends through the establishment of peace, stability and equitable prosperity. “Broader people participation is essential to respond to current global challenges, where waves of democratization have swept many parts of the world,” he said.