May I be permitted on behalf of the Indonesian delegation to join the preceding speakers in expressing from this platform our gratitude for the cordial welcome and hospitality which the French Government and the people of Paris have extended to us.
165. The generation of Indonesians that grew up during the first half of this century has witnessed a series of wars and revolutions which have caused changes in the world political situation since the beginning of the century. This generation has seen empires rise and fall in the struggle to Powers contending for the leadership of the world.
166. The national independence of Indonesia itself was achieved at the end of the Second World War as the climax of the Indonesian people’s fight for freedom. That struggle, begun in the first decade of this century, reached its culminating point within less than fifty years, in the proclamation of national independence on 17 August 1945.
167. Like all great historical movements which have been stimulated as much by spiritual as by material forces, the Indonesian movement for freedom was inspired by the humanitarian ideals and the lofty principles which have given the modern world the foundations of an order in which all individuals and all peoples may find space enough and opportunities enough, to develop their individual and national faculties,
168. We owe to the French Revolution respect for the dignity of the human person and for the action of people in common based upon equality and fraternity. Furthermore, we owe to the movements for liberty by the colonial peoples of North and South America the principle of the right of nations to self-determination. The idea of social justice, which had already been dimly perceived in oriental society, received a new stimulus from the fact that it was taken as a starting point by the modem labour movement, which found its supreme expression in the 1917 Revolution in Russia, whereas we in our own country are seeking for a solution suited to our own national traits,
169. The Indonesian people in pursuit of its destiny has adopted five guiding principles, known under the name of Pantja-Sila, which have been incorporated in our national Constitution and form a philosophy of life for our people in the fulfilment of their national destiny. Faith in the divinity, a national consciousness, human brotherhood, democracy and social justice are the distinguishing characteristics of Indonesia as a nation.
170. Six years after the proclamation of our independence and in the second year of our membership of the United Nations, when we are taking stock of conditions in the world in which we live, we are filled with mixed feelings of hope and fear.
171. We are filled with hope because, thanks to the progress of science and technical knowledge, to the speed of international communications, and to the economic interdependence and collective consciousness of nations, the world has become an organic whole. This means that the welfare of the world depends in the last resort upon the will of the peoples themselves, and that they are collectively responsible for it.
172. We, the peoples of the United Nations, have met together in this city of Paris for the purposes specified in Article 1 of the Charter: “1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace; “2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; “3. To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and “4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.”
173. The United Nations has entered upon its sixth year of activity. For six years this world Organization has been working under the inspiration of the ideals which led the nations to establish it in San Francisco on 24 October 1945; for six years, under the efficient administration of the Secretary-General, Mr. Trygve Lie, it has been tirelessly engaged in creating a new world order.
174. The constructive work carried out by the United Nations and its specialized agencies is evident in many fields and provides highly encouraging examples of what can be accomplished by human effort in the cause of civilization.
175. The results of technical assistance in the matter of economic development, social well-being and public administration in the various countries, and also the excellent work accomplished in the field of health and humanitarian activity, are indisputable facts which must convince the peoples of the usefulness, and indeed the necessity of the continued existence of the United Nations.
176. For these reasons Indonesia has continued to cooperate, with all its strength and with all the means at its disposal, in achieving the objects which the United Nations has set itself to attain; these objects are also fully in harmony with the philosophy of the Indonesian people embodied in the Pantja-Sila.
177. We are thus filled with hope, which we know to be well-founded, for the success of the Organization’s constructive work.
178. The latest developments in international politics, however, cause us genuine concern. All who have closely studied world events since the opening of the century can once again see signs that humanity is on the threshold of a new world disaster.
179. The great war of 1914-1918 was preceded by national antagonisms, that is antagonism between the Allies and the central Powers. That conflict led to the creation of the League of Nations, which was designed to prevent further wars, but the effort then made failed.
180. The Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, from which the nations have not yet recovered and from which they are still suffering disastrous consequences, was due to the failure to reach agreement between two groups of Powers, on one side the Fascist States of the Axis, anxious to achieve world domination, and on the other side, the democratic Powers. And now we are in presence of two gigantic groups of Powers: the democratic bloc and the communist bloc.
181. The tragic feature of all these efforts to create a new international order in which war would be finally outlawed, is that humanity is once again returning to its starting point.
182. There is no nation represented in this Assembly which does not proclaim its sincere determination to co-operate in establishing world peace and in setting in motion the machinery of the United Nations for the purpose of maintaining peace and security. But neither is there a single nation which would by itself be capable of easing the dangerous tension arising from the formation of opposing blocs. All must co-operate in the creation of an atmosphere of conciliation, mutual confidence and good faith within our Organization before these tensions can disappear.
183. We have now reached a new stage of irreconcilable opposition between those two gigantic groups of Powers which wish for peace but are preparing for war. As in the period between the two wars, the world is witnessing an armaments race between the great Powers, a sinister portent of approaching catastrophe. Once again there is a mutual lack of confidence in the intentions of the two parties. Each suspects the other of seeking its destruction.
184. Tests with atomic bombs of enormous and hitherto unknown destructive power have been carried out on both sides. Bombers with a range of thousands of miles, capable of dropping atomic bombs more destructive than that of Hiroshima, jet-propelled aircraft travelling at speeds greater than that of sound to sow death and destruction in enemy territories, guided missiles and a large number of other destructive and deadly weapons, have all been created for the purposes of annihilation.
185. As a young, nation we have no power to stop the cold war which is now being waged. Whether we like it or not, we find ourselves in an atmosphere of continual tension and anxiety which is not conducive to the achievement of total peace. This is all the more regrettable in that countless millions of men on both sides ardently desire peace and the happiness that comes from leading, like normal human beings, a tranquil life in a peaceful world. On both sides there are wise men who realize that this situation neither can nor should continue indefinitely. On both sides there are men conscious of the fact that the armaments race is causing impoverishment for which we shall be held responsible by future generations.
186. When we consider that millions are being spent in the armaments race on the manufacture of weapons which, in the event of war, would cause death and destruction, we are overwhelmed with a sense of frustration and disappointment that, in our present stage of world development, the human race is unable to call a halt to this trend and use these resources for constructive ends.
187. Large sums are required for the development of the so-called backward countries, in Asia, Africa and other parts of the globe, in order to enable them to participate in world economic intercourse for the promotion of the common prosperity.
188. My country has only recently emerged from a difficult period of eight years of war. It entered the community of nations with its territory devastated and is compelled to undertake its rehabilitation, as well as its economic, social and cultural reconstruction, with the inadequate means at its disposal. It has great economic potentialities but lacks the means to exploit its resources.
189. That does not imply that Indonesia has hitherto been without United Nations assistance. In its work for peace, the United Nations, in addition to its social, cultural and humanitarian activities, is carrying out a technical assistance programme in which Indonesia is included.
190. This programme will yield extremely important results if executed wisely. I particularly emphasize the term “wisely”, as that is a most important consideration in determining the success of such technical assistance projects.
191. I shall not at present concern myself with the question of the establishment of a sound financial basis for the satisfactory implementation of the technical assistance programme. Above all, it is essential that those extending aid under the technical assistance programme should show tact and sympathy in dealing with recipient countries and that they should really understand the problems of those countries. In this respect, both parties still have to gain much experience. Nevertheless, we regard technical assistance as one of the most promising activities of the United Nations.
192. Recalling its own colonial origins and its successful struggle for national independence, Indonesia cannot but regard other peoples striving to establish their own national existence with sympathy and understanding. My Government therefore whole-heartedly welcomes every initiative by the United Nations designed to promote national independence in accordance with the provisions of the Charter relating to dependent peoples.
193. If it is true that the General Assembly of the United Nations is the “conscience of the world” — since all its Members have the right and the opportunity freely to express their views on all subjects of world importance — then it is desirable that, at the present sixth session of the General Assembly, we should devote our full attention to the problems that threaten to disturb friendly relations among States. There should be opportunities within this Assembly to call attention to all grievances and wrongs sustained. Frank and impartial discussion of these grievances will ensure that just conclusions providing the basis for just decisions are arrived at. Truth must emerge from the clash of opinions.
194. Many problems, indeed, require our attention. There is the Korean question which has been dragging on for over a year. In Iran, the situation is such as to constitute a threat to international order and security. The problem of the Suez Canal contains elements which may assume grave proportions, and the Moroccan question, if neglected, may become a major international problem. In the Near East and in North Africa, forces are at work which, if wisely guided, may well contribute to world progress.
195. Similarly, the situation in Asia and the Far East is far from having been stabilized. In the political, economic and social spheres, changes are still in progress, the outcome of which it is as yet impossible to foresee. These changes may give rise to a situation which may endanger international peace and security. They may end in political “explosions” if they are not observed in time and if the necessary action is not taken at the appropriate moment. This is not only a source of anxiety for the interested governments; it is also a matter of concern to the United Nations in the event of the governments in question failing to find a solution.
196. The peoples of South and South-East Asia which emerged from the Second World War as new States and which freed themselves from their former colonial bonds, find themselves with a legacy of problems from the former colonial system. Having inherited nothing but economic and social confusion and administrative machinery in a state of decay, these peoples, who have no technical experts, are faced with the task of building a governmental structure adapted to the demands of present-day international trade, while preserving their own national individuality.
197. A lengthy period of peace is necessary to build up such a structure. The peoples of this part of the world have no other desire than to live in peace, so that they may proceed undisturbed with their work of establishing their national existence.
198. In accordance with the spirit and letter of the Charter, the States of South-East Asia have sought to promote their regional interests by developing a spirit of solidarity, mutual understanding and sympathy in safeguarding their joint political, economic, social and cultural interests.
199. Personal meetings and regional conferences have been arranged and treaties of friendship concluded for the promotion of this spirit of friendship, goodwill and understanding. As instances of this, let me cite the conference held at Baguio in May 1950 on the initiative of the Government of the Philippines, in which all the States of South and South-East Asia, including Australia, took part; the discussions which took place recently between the Foreign Ministers of Burma and Indonesia; the meetings between the Prime Ministers of Burma and India; the friendly visits paid by representatives of Burma to Indonesia and of Indonesia to Thailand; the courtesy visits of the Foreign Ministers of New Zealand and of Australia to Indonesia and to the other neighbouring countries, as well as by the Indonesian Foreign Minister to Australia, Thailand, Burma and Pakistan; the official visits of the President of the Indonesian Republic to India, Pakistan, Burma and the Philippines; and, lastly, the treaties concluded between Indonesia and India, Pakistan, Burma and the Philippines respectively.
200. If this peace policy, deliberately pursued by the small States of South-East Asia, is proving so helpful to the spirit of co-operation in the cause of common progress, there are surely good grounds for thinking that the great Powers could follow the example of the small States and thus ensure world peace and the pacific co-existence of all peoples of the world, irrespective of race, religion or political ideology.
201. The personal contact established between responsible statesmen and prominent personalities during these exchanges of visits might well remove the tensions arising from the cold war that so gravely oppress the human race. Such contact might prepare the way for free and sincere discussions on the concrete proposals for general disarmament.
202. It is not for a young State like Indonesia, which has only recently become a Member of the United Nations, to remind more experienced States of the promise they implicitly made, six years ago, when they signed the United Nations Charter at San Francisco, to act in accordance with the spirit and the letter of the Charter in the interests of world peace. Nor is it any part of its duty to draw their attention to the inexorable law of history, to the law of rise and fall and to the glory and ruin of States covetous of power, of which we, the children of this century, have personally witnessed instances in the space of less than fifty years.
203. And yet that is what we Indonesians seek to do. From the rostrum of this Assembly, and with all the conviction and idealism at our command, we appeal to the reason, the sense of justice and the conscience of mankind that it should do its utmost to gain supremacy over the forces which are driving the world to its destruction.
204. Indonesia is whole-heartedly prepared to co-operate with the Organization in creating an atmosphere of conciliation and tolerance, for Indonesia, the country and the people, by its very nature and geographical situation between two oceans, as well as by its historical development as an area through which peoples and civilizations have passed, has reconciled divergent interests and trends which have found definitive expression in our doctrine of life, the Pantja-Sila.
205. Indonesia therefore. appeals to the great Powers to make every endeavour to find, a modus vivendi which will solve the disarmament problem. It asks the Powers concerned to hasten the process of emancipation of the dependent peoples and to abolish the remnants of the colonial system which, wherever it may be found, is at variance with the spirit of the Charter. It calls on all peoples to co-operate in achieving the objectives of the United Nations on the basis of mutual friendship and co-operation, and reciprocal confidence and respect.