Official Bank Sites Related Information Multimedia April 5, 2006—The words, pulang kampung, mean homecoming in Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of the world’s fourth most populous country. They were among the first words World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz spoke as he set foot on the ground in Aceh, the first leg of his trip to Indonesia and Timor Leste. “For me personally, it’s a feeling of home coming – pulang kampung – to a country that I have been following closely for over two decades,” Wolfowitz said on his arrival. It was 20 years ago this month that Wolfowitz took his post in Jakarta as United States’ Ambassador to Indonesia. And as the Bank President now acknowledges, the Indonesia he sees today is a country which has undergone a remarkable economic and democratic transformation since then. As Wolfowitz recently recalled, the Indonesia of 20 years ago was “euphemistically called an autocratic regime.” 
President Paul Wolfowitz at a muslim boarding school in Indonesia, 1986 “Indonesia is now the world’s third largest functioning democracy, and President Yudhoyono is firmly committed to decentralization and good governance,” Wolfowitz said on his arrival. “He has launched a series of bold economic reforms which we support, and I will be meeting him in Jakarta next week to discuss new initiatives to attract further investment and boost growth.” Meeting the Challenges As far as Indonesia has come in 20 years, the country still faces some significant challenges. “There are still millions of Indonesians who live in poverty without access to basic facilities,” he said, “and there are environmental challenges and threats like avian influenza which will further challenge the country’s leadership.” Wolfowitz will meet with local government officials and communities in South Sulawesi, a region in eastern Indonesia which is lagging behind in growth and development. He will also meet with people in poor, urban districts in Jakarta to better understand the challenges faced in controlling avian flu. The Bank President, who begins his trip in Aceh, will see first hand another challenge facing Indonesia – rebuilding Aceh after the December 2004 tsunami and earthquake devastated the region. The world, which witnessed the destruction of the earthquake and tsunami, is also watching as Aceh rebuilds. 
A newly built Meunasah, or Acehnese community hall, in Banda Aceh The world is watching “The world has given generously to Aceh – over US$8.5 billion. This aid must be translated quickly into results on the ground. Progress in Aceh’s reconstruction is critical for the tsunami survivors. It is also important for those of us in the donor community, who must answer to the world and show the results of peoples’ immense generosity,” Wolfowitz said. On his arrival, the Bank president praised the people of Aceh for not only dealing with the devastating impact of the tsunami, but also for their efforts in implementing the Helsinki peace accord, signed after three decades of conflict. “The Bank will continue its efforts to support the Acehnese people in their efforts to cement the peace process and develop the areas which have been devastated by years of conflict.” Wolfowitz will also lay a wreath at the Ulee Lheu mass gravesite, located on the remains of a hospital and overlooking the still-damaged port. "The people of this province have shown the world they have remarkable resilience and courage and are rebuilding their lives on a path of peace and solidarity, something which a whole generation of Acehnese have never known," he said.
Wide Ranging Talks
In Jakarta, the Bank President’s visit will include not only meetings with senior leaders, but also Indonesia’s new generation of leaders, thinkers and opinion makers, as well as Islamic leaders, to discuss the challenges facing the country. A highlight of his Jakarta visit will be a speech and televised panel discussion on democracy, governance and development, co-hosted by Tempo newsweekly and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Fighting Corruption During his visit, Wolfowitz will encourage Indonesia’s drive to improve governance and fight corruption – as he has already made it clear that tackling corruption is a key priority of his presidency. The Bank President has described corruption as presenting one of the most serious threats to development. In line with that, he’s also stressed the importance of a free media: “Anyone who says that the issue of press freedom is a purely political issue that has nothing to do with development, I don’t think understands just how important accountability is to preventing corruption, or just how serious a threat corruption is to the development process,” Wolfowitz said at a conference last November. To drive that message home, the President will co-launch a Bahasa Indonesia version of “The Right to Tell: The Role of Mass Media in Economic Development” co-published by the Bank and Tempo. Building institutions Mr. Wolfowitz will also visit Timor-Leste, a relatively new state that is recognized as a stellar performer among post-conflict countries. The Bank president will meet the country’s senior officials as well as with ordinary Timorese to learn from the country’s achievements in maintaining peace and stability and creating the main institutions of a functioning state and economy. A major topic of discussion during the visit there will be the country’s plans to manage its petroleum revenues, as one of the world’s newest petroleum producing countries. The president will talk about the country’s challenges in reducing poverty and addressing youth unemployment. |
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