Indonesia and International Law: An Interview with Indonesia's Secretary to the Directorate General of International Treaties and Legal Affairs
1 Indon. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 1067-76 (October 2014)
10 Pages Posted: 4 May 2015
Date Written: September 18, 2014
Abstract
The ever expanding scope of international law is not only providing some invaluable opportunities but also poses some serious challenges that would potentially undermine its own liberal objective. This is true for a post colonial state like Indonesia. Despite its liberal leaning, international law has failed to attract support from the local civil society that push for liberal reform. In fact, this critical component of the democratizing force in the country has demonized anything to a point that one may consider as inimical to the humanizing project of international law itself. For example, in 2012 a group of populist NGOs challenged the constitutionality of the Law No. 38 of 2002 that serve as the legal basis of the Indonesia’s acceptance of ASEAN Charter.
As such, in this feature, Pranoto Iskandar interviews Dr. Damos Dumoli Agusman, the Secretary to the Directorate General of International Treaties and Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Specifically this interview aims to explore the challenges faced by Indonesia in its quest for developing a democratic legal order.
Keywords: national law building, legal reform, law and development, legal pluralism, state building
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation