Dear Indonesians,
Allow me to quote three LETTERS TO THE EDITOR,
THE AUSTRALIAN, Thursday, October 7, 1999: 12 =
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In defence of Paul Keating
I AGREE with Paul Keating. John Howard was totally oppor-
tunistic when he pictured Australia as a "regional deputy".
Howard doesn't seem to have any sense that we all live in the
same world these days. It is not possible to talk only to his
domestic constituents. We are not insulated from the Asia-
Pacific region. Howard mya have political nous for dealing
with a conservative domestic lobby in Australia, but he has
no nous for Asia. He is out of his depth, and he does not
know it. It's frightening.
The nous, the commonsense, he needs for dealing with Asia
cannot be learnt from a book, and it doesn't come from add-
ing a pinch of chilli powder to domestic policy. It can come
only from direct, trial-and-error experience, from living with
Asia as friends and family. Or from living with another for-
eign culture on a long-term basis. Could minders help How-
ard? It's unnerving to think we might have to depend on
Howard talking advice from minders.
It has taken a long time to overcome the legacy of the White
Australia Policy. The Howard policy will be mud on our
faces for many years, on the faces of everyone - business
person, tourist, student - who visits [South] East Asia.
Every outlandish or insensitive Ocker visiting Asia will re-
inforce their fears. I sympathise with Indonesians, and other
[South] East Asians, who suspect Howard represents Aus-
tralians who look down them as inferior little brown men
If I were in their shoes, I would be suspicious too, and con-
vinced the White Australia Policy had never disappeared.
BOB MARCH
Chatswood, NSW, [Australia]
I AM sick to death of so many people saying that Australians
governments were mistaken in the past in their policy of main-
taining a friendly relationship with Indonesia.
The Hawke and Keating governments did not have any illusions
about "a special relationship?" They were working for Australia,
building economic and strategic ties. We would not have such a
strong economy today if Paul Keating had not put such effort
into fostering economic ties with Asia, while still keeping human
rights on the agenda.
John Howard is just trying to promote himself to statesman
status. The sooner we can get back to our former relationship
with Asia and cut this holier-than-thou attitude the better.
M. SCHUBERT
Wiley Park, NSW [Australia]
JOHN HOWARD describes Paul Keating's criticisms of the Gov-
erment's East Timor policy as "recklessly indifferent to the nation-
al interest". In fact this phrase seems a perfect description of the
policies in question, and especially of their hamfisted implementa-
tion.
Dr STEVEN DRAKELEY
Kingswood, NSW [Australia]
Quoter,
Yusuf L. Henuk
