indonesian_open FW: [Wa-indon] Australian Financial Review 17/3/05 - Howard Dick: Too much fear in the diplomatic travel bag

[Wittman, Leonie]

Teman-teman yang baik

See below for a topic of interest to many!

Leonie

 

Leonie Wittman

R/Senior Curriculum Adviser

 

Languages Unit

Curriculum K-12 Directorate

3a Smalls Rd

Ryde NSW 2112

 

Tel:9886 7681

Fax: 9886 7160

Email: leonie.wittman at det.nsw.edu.au

________________________________

From: wa-indon-bounces at central.murdoch.edu.au
[mailto:wa-indon-bounces at central.murdoch.edu.au] On Behalf Of David T.
Hill
Sent: Saturday, 19 March 2005 12:47 PM
To: wa-indon at central.murdoch.edu.au
Subject: [Wa-indon] Australian Financial Review 17/3/05 - Howard Dick:
Too much fear in the diplomatic travel bag 

 

Colleagues,

I thought some of you might be interested in Howard Dick's piece in the
Aust. Fin. Review last Thursday on the DFAT Travel Advisories regarding
Indonesia.

regards,
David.
.....................




Too much fear in the diplomatic travel bag

Howard Dick 

Howard Dick is co-director of the Australian Centre for International
Business, Department of Management, University of Melbourne.

17 March 2005
Australian Financial Review

When is a travel advisory not a travel advisory? When it becomes a ban.
In
the case of Indonesia, the federal government's so-called travel
advisories
have become the tail that wags the diplomatic dog.

Indonesia has repeatedly and politely asked that the stiff travel
advisory
be relaxed. It is justifiably irritated at Australia's refusal to do so.
Our
tough line is a serious and unnecessary impediment to tourism, trade and
education. 

What Australia gives generously with one hand in aid it takes back with
the
other by obstructing the free flow of people going about their normal
business. At the same time, we seek freedom of movement for aid workers
within Indonesia. 

Of course, it is the role of government to ensure its citizens are aware
of
the risks of travelling abroad and to exercise due caution. This is a
matter
of providing useful information. No sensible person will argue with
advice
to defer all travel to Afghanistan, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Iraq
and
Somalia. These are war zones, not tourist or business destinations.

The problem arises when visitors to other Islamic countries, including
Indonesia and Pakistan, are advised against non-essential travel.

Advice normally means leaving people to make up their own minds. But
this
advice is mandated. Government departments and universities take it to
mean
non-essential travel must be deferred. The clincher is that insurers
refuse
to underwrite non-essential travel logically, they should just impose a
premium. It is not that dangerous.

The travel advisory on Indonesian runs to seven pages, with particular
attention to terrorism, civil unrest, personal security, health and
crime.
It does not sound like a family holiday.

Curiously, there is no such travel advisory for the Philippines or
Thailand.
In the Philippines, there is war in the south and bombings and
kidnappings
in Manila. In southern Thailand, there have been almost daily killings
and
serious military clashes. The difference is that they are not Islamic
countries and no Australians have yet been killed.

The advisories are highly discriminatory. Once a country such as
Indonesia
is on the list, the inter-departmental committee ensures all possible
threats are dumped into the advisory, just to play safe.

The advisory is silent on measures taken in Indonesia to minimise
terrorist
risks. It omits to mention, for example, that every significant hotel,
office and shopping block in Jakarta is now protected by bomb detectors
and
security guards. One actually feels safer than in Sydney. The advisory
also
gives little help to people, companies and universities in managing
their
risk. It takes away, rather than gives, responsibility.

Our government would be well-advised to take advantage of the
forthcoming
visit of the ministerial delegation from Indonesia to enter into
negotiations over matters of concern. The agenda might start with a
relaxation of the advisory, but set a longer-term goal of freedom of
movement in both directions. 

.......................................................
Professor David T. Hill
Chair of Southeast Asian Studies
Asian Studies Program
School of Social Sciences and Humanities
Division of Arts
Room 2.11 Education & Humanities Building
MURDOCH UNIVERSITY WA 6150
AUSTRALIA

Tel (+61-8) 9360 2412 / 9360 2504
Fax (+61-8) 9360 6575
http://www.ssh.murdoch.edu.au/asianstudies/
..........................................................

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