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@det.nsw.edu.au
From:
wa-indon-bounces@central.murdoch.edu.au
[mailto:wa-indon-bounces@central.murdoch.edu.au] On Behalf Of David T. Hill
Sent: Saturday, 19 March 2005
12:47 PM
To:
wa-indon@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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