Robust RI democracy healthy and on track: U.S. Democrats

OPPOSING VIEWS: Hasto Kristiyanto of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) (second right) takes questions from local members of the U.S.-Indonesia Society (USINDO) in Washington D.C on Thursday. Hasto, (left to right) Andreas Pareira, Abdul Moeis and Budiman Sudjatmiko were part of a PDI-P delegation invited to the U.S. by the U.S. Democratic Party

During a two-day meeting between the U.S. Democratic Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the former said it appreciates the robust growth of democracy in Indonesia, while the latter towed an opposition line by criticizing the government's policies.

The political thumbs up was delivered by Democrat senators, congressmen and other politicians during a series of meetings with a visiting PDI-P delegation in Washington over Wednesday and Thursday.

"Senator Harry Reid, leader of the U.S. Senate majority, hailed the opposition line PDI-P has taken in upholding the democratic system in Indonesia," PDI-P secretary general Pramono Anung Wibowo said in an emailed statement.

The delegation consisted of Amin Moeis, Hasto Kristianto, Andreas Pareira and Budiman Sudjatmiko, all of whom were led by PDI-P senior figure Taufik Kiemas.

"The presence of an opposition plays an important role in democracy and the opposition line PDI-P has taken will make (Indonesian) democracy more mature in time," Reid said during his meeting with the delegates.

Reid acknowledged the challenges facing Indonesia in developing its own pluralistic democracy following more than three decades of authoritarian rule.

He stressed that the U.S. had never dictated to Indonesia how it should develop its democracy because the two countries had their own unique cultural, ethnic and geopolitical characteristics.

During the meeting, Taufik insisted that democracy, pluralism and the unitary state were the result of a national consensus and are a preliminary requirement for improving social welfare.

Former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright said Indonesia has been successful in developing a democracy and that its democratic institutions could have a positive impact on East and Southeast Asia.

Pramono, who extended an invitation to Senator Reid to visit Indonesia, said that his delegation also discussed Indonesia's sovereignty in the finance and energy sectors with Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat candidate who will run in the 2008 presidential election.

"We can learn much and get information from Democrat politicians on how their party influences budgetary politics and designs pro-poor budgetary policies as part of its accountability to the party, its supporters and the American people," he said.

"We also asked them to supervise the operations of American mining companies in Indonesia to give their attention to the environment and the empowerment of local people."

Reflecting on democratic practices in the United States, Kucinich said the American people could learn from Indonesia in promoting certain aspects of democracy.

"The PDI-P and the Indonesian people should not imitate the democracy developed in the United States. In certain aspects of the democracy, the United States should learn from Indonesia," Kucinich said.

Source : www.thejakartapost.com