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Concern for democracy overshadows international Bali forum
First initiated by then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2008, the annual two-day meeting provides a forum for governments to share how they practice democracy in their respective countries.
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Solidarity: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (third left), former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan (third right), Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) patron Hassan Wirajuda (second right), Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (second left), Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung (left) and Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika (right) observe a moment of silence for victims and survivors of the Aceh earthquake before the opening of the Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)
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ndonesia will have to prove its credentials as the third-largest democracy at the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) this week, as democratic values continue to be challenged around the world and officials are beginning to question its merits.
First initiated by then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2008, the annual two-day meeting provides a forum for governments to share how they practice democracy in their respective countries.
Indonesian democracy was still in its infancy when the government started hosting the BDF, 10 years after a swell of civil unrest unseated former leader Soeharto in 1998, which put an end to more than three decades of dictatorship.
This year’s forum is to be opened in Bali on Thursday by House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani and promises the attendance of representatives from at least 81 countries and several international organizations.
However, unlike previous years, only eight countries are expected to send minister-level delegates to the forum, raising questions about the BDF’s relevance.
The Foreign Ministry’s director general for information and public diplomacy, Cecep Herawan, played down concerns that interest was dwindling and argued that the forum’s informal nature and lack of legally binding outcomes had encouraged participating countries to openly share their best practices in a democracy.
“We have seen positive trends in the region since 2008. So, this is one of the places that we dare say countries can speak comfortably about democracy, even though it might not be fully reflected in [their policies],” Cecep said recently. “It is not a naming-and-shaming forum.”
