"We will share our experiences of managing democracy in a pluralistic society in the post-reform era. There are some challenges. We will also learn from other countries experiences," AM Fachir, the foreign affairs ministrys director general of information and public diplomacy, remarked here on Wednesday.
At the sixth BDF, Indonesia will suggest three principles for managing a democracy: democracy must grow organically and not be imposed; a democratic system must respect plurality, balancing between majority and minority perspectives; and it must be inclusive.
"We still have a sense of unity. We have many local languages and dialects, but even countries with a single language can sometimes find it difficult to implement democratic principles," he noted.
The BDF will be held on Nov. 7 and 8 for the sixth time this year, and the Government of Indonesia has chosen the theme "Consolidating Democracy in a Pluralistic Society."
The forum will be attended by Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah, Prime Minister of Timor Leste Xanana Gusmao, and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as well as at least 30 ministers from various countries.
There are two sub-themes that will be discussed during BDF VI: the explanation of free and fair general elections and an explanation on how to build and strengthen democratic institutions such as the Constitutional Court and the General Elections Commission in each country.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa has said the country wishes to learn more about the implementation of democracy in other countries through the BDF.
"The event will gather representatives from countries in different stages of progress in developing democratic principles. We wish to learn from these countries," he stated at a press conference held here on Monday.
The BDF is a forum to exchange views on what has been achieved by member countries with regard to the implementation of democratic principles with all its weaknesses, he noted.
"If democracy is not well managed, conflicts and tension could impact the region," he explained.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
