The limits of global human rights promotion: Indonesia’s ambivalent roles in the UN Human Rights Council

Post-authoritarian Indonesia has emerged as a state advocating human rights values in the Asia-Pacific region. However, its policies in promoting these values at the global level remain limited. This can be seen in Indonesia’s reluctance to strengthen global human rights governance, particularly in the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council. In addressing the puzzle, this article shows that Indonesia’s standpoint on the global human rights issue does not stem from Indonesia’s search for autonomy from Western values. Rather, it is suggested that Indonesia’s historical memory is behind Indonesia’s reluctance to strengthen global governance dealing with human rights issues. Specifically, Indonesia’s history in protecting its territorial integrity under UN scrutiny during the authoritarian regime (1967-1998) shapes its current approach to the separatist movement in Papua provinces. Moreover, its role as a voice for developing countries, which is an integral part of its historical memory, causes Indonesia to protect abusive regimes.