During his appointment to PNG, Sitepu made active efforts to build people-to-people relationships. Towards the end of his tenure in 2014, he revealed to me three of his diplomatic strategies.
By
AGUSTINUS WIBOWO
·4 minutes read
AGUSTINUS WIBOWO
A newspaper vendor in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Indonesia is often misrepresented in the Papua New Guinea media.
Many Indonesians are unfamiliar with our neighboring country, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Meanwhile, many PNG people view Indonesia as a frightening neighbor.
Andreas, a student born in 1990 whom I met at the University of Papua New Guinea, had once received a scholarship to study the Indonesian language in Jayapura, Papua. His parents immediately forbid him from going. Indonesia was too dangerous, they said. Andreas also admitted, "At that time all I knew about Indonesia was that it was a communist country that was going to colonize PNG."
Meanwhile, Helen, my host in Koki village, Port Moresby, acknowledge that she did not know the difference between Indonesia and the Philippines. All she remembered about Indonesia was news that the plane carrying the PNG deputy prime minister was followed by Indonesian military aircraft when it flew over Indonesian territory. The news frightened her, making her think that Indonesia would soon attack PNG.
The incident occurred in November 2011. The Indonesian Air Force stated that the PNG special aircraft that departed from Kuala Lumpur to Port Moresby had not received clearance to cross Indonesian airspace, and the action was normal procedure to protect national security.
But the incident angered PNG. Two months later, then-prime minister Peter O\'Neill of PNG demanded an official explanation from Jakarta and even threatened to expel the Indonesian ambassador from his country.
***
PNG is certainly not an easy appointment for Indonesian diplomats. The 2014 Indonesian Ambassador to PNG, Andreas Sitepu, said: "Since diplomatic relations opened in 1975, for a long time, concrete cooperation between the two neighboring countries could be said to exist or not exist."
AGUSTINUS WIBOWO
Indonesian Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Andreas Sitepu (front, center) with staff during the 2014 Indonesian Independence Day.
Sitepu said the main issues that caused the cool relationship between the neighboring countries was the Papua and border issues.“Perhaps Indonesia suspected PNG of supporting the Papua independence movement. On the other hand, there are many black campaigns circulating in PNG, as if Indonesia were an enemy who brought suffering to the Papuan people," he explained. "The suspicion on both sides has made for rocky ties between the two countries."
However, RI-PNG ties are strategic and important to both parties. PNG can be an entry point for Indonesia in building ties with Pacific island countries.
On the other hand, Indonesia is important to PNG. Thus far, PNG has adhered to a “look south” policy and is very dependent on Australia. Recently, PNG has started to adopt a “look north” policy in approaching Asian countries. Indonesia can be a gateway to Asia for PNG.
Sitepu recalled that significant changes in the relationship between the two countries occurred during the administration of president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. President Yudhoyono visited PNG in 2010 and since then, talks on cooperation in various fields had started.
To reciprocate, prime minister Peter O\'Neill visited Jakarta in June 2013, bringing with him a large PNG delegation of more than 140 people, including 11 ministers, around 40 members of parliament and 90 businesspeople.
“There, it could be seen how much longing for cooperation seems to have been hidden all this time,” ambassador Sitepu recalled.
During the visit, the two countries signed 11 memorandums of understanding on cooperation, which can be said to be a very large number.
AGUSTINUS WIBOWO
A modern shopping center in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
PNG is very enthusiastic about developing bilateral relations with Indonesia. At the end of 2012, prime minister O\'Neill unveiled 10 successful programs of his government, one of the points of which was "building ties with [our neighbor] Indonesia, which had been neglected for 37 years". Indonesia is the only country outside of PNG that was explicitly mentioned on the list.
***
I have also enjoyed the fruits of the improving relationship between the two countries. Since 2014, Indonesian passport holders can get a free PNG visa-on-arrival at Port Moresby airport. On the other hand, Indonesian products are also starting to flood the PNG market. In addition, Indonesia grants scholarships to dozens of PNG students every year.
Towards the end of his tenure in 2014, he revealed to me three of his diplomatic strategies.
During his appointment to PNG, Sitepu made active efforts to build people-to-people relationships. Towards the end of his tenure in 2014, he revealed to me three of his diplomatic strategies.
The first was the diplomatic strategy of setor muka (being present). "Every time there is a meeting, whatever the form, the Indonesian ambassador must attend," he explained.
AGUSTINUS WIBOWO
Ucapan selamat datang di Bandar Udara Internasional Jacksons-Port Moresby, Papua Niugini (Foto ini hanya untuk tulisan dan hal terkait serial perjalanan Agustinus Wibowo)Untuk tulisan kedua
His second strategy was berminyak air (oily water). This was akin to using water instead if we did not have hair oil. “We have to be able to put ourselves in their various events.” The third and very important strategy was dubbed the 3S diplomacy: “Sabar, Sabaaar, Sabaaaar” (Patience, patience, patience).
