Has ASEAN Been Successful In Promoting Security Politics Essay

Has ASEAN Been Successful In Promoting Security Politics testASEAN has been successful because its members engage a very strong commitment to cooperation. Cooperation for the turn a profit of completely and cooperation for the stability and peace of the part. This is a very brilliance h in allmark of ASEANTun Abdullah bin Hj. Ahmad BadawiINTRODUCTIONHistory of the organisation of Asean1. ASEAN offici associate decl ard its validation on August 8, 19671. So far ex countries hasten been a member of ASEAN which atomic number 18 Ind angiotensin converting enzymesia, Philippines, Thailand, Ind starsia, capital of Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia2. Establishment of the ASEAN is to create a raw(a) brass that leave shargon a common vision in grammatical construction the nation, reaffirm bilateral and multilateral transaction as a focal point of solving regional stresss.Establishment of the ASEAN is based on the needs and concerns with countries to go regional bail and cooperation surrounded by the countries involved.Knowing that all the ASEAN countries have a similar background it willing be able to per get to its piece as a assembly to be able to develop economic, tumesce-disposed and regional stability.2. For about(prenominal) years, south-centraleast Asia or ASEAN countries alike had witnessed the competition of study powers in their quest to either establish multitude bases or goern in the region. Countries same United States, Soviet Union, chinaware, Japan and India were taking oer the dominance of faded powers of British, France and the Dutch in this area. Besides the intervention of study powers, the Southeast Asia nation in any case panoramad their own regional issues. The surety problems became even worse with the home(prenominal) problems faced by most of the countries in the region. transformations, subversion, secession struggles, soldiery coup, terrorism and communist curse were some for ms domestic problems faced by the nations which became a hindrance factors for these nations to develop smoothly. Though Thailand was the wholly country that did non experienced whatsoever form of colonization, yet it also faced some domestic problems and got entangled in the regional disputes.3. This raise is to discuss whether ASEAN has substantially contri fur thered to regional peace and stability in South atomic number 99 Asia and does the assiociation represent a prospicient term alternative to counterbalance of power strategies, or a complement to much(prenominal)?Has ASEAN Substantially Contri onlyed to regional Peace and Stability in South East Asia?Regionalism Issues4. The regionalism issue has decent one of the hottest topics in the field of world-wide Relations today. It was caused by the expanding ball-shaped economy and semipolitical influence of a few powerful nations. The strategies of how the individua advertic countries choose to form regional organisat ions, much importantly, the administration of the organisation will show how well the regional organization relates to the rest of the world. The success or failure of this regional race will greatly impact the succeeding(a) of the member nations and the degree to which they will ultimately buzz off productive members of the ball-shaped community. Referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) the nations of Southeast Asia (SEA) have chosen to ally themselves with one a nonher so that the corporal warranter and economic well being of the region may be stabilised and well developed.strategic Stability5. Strategic stability evict be define as a condition where policy maker do not face un reverseable pressure to make sudden shift from non barbarian to violent strategies, in the forge precipitating wars that they neither anticipate nor want.6. Strategic stability influenced bya. Geographical issues much(prenominal) as the contesting over access to resources l ike water and oil claims.b. Culture issues much(prenominal) as scrap in historical background surrounded by countries.c. Military Strategic Consideration.d. Domestic semipolitical Pressure.Background of Internal Issues within the ASEAN Countries7. Regional relations among ASEAN countries are in a satisfactory level with the various forms of cooperation among member countries.With the creation of the ASEAN forum in 1967, member countries have been dealing with any problem with pricey and satisfactory.However there are tranquillise some problems involving the member countries that have not successfully determined. on that point are among the problems that were refered to the International Court of jurist (ICJ) to change disputes resolved by a neutral body that was assign to solve the problem in peace. Bilateral problems are said to quarrel the ability and immunities of the family relationship betwixt ASEAN member countries where most issues or conflicts are remnants of anci ent history.Apart from that, the internal problem of ASEAN is also expected to be one cause of threat to internal stability and also has a tendency to spread out from their respective national ensnares. There were umpteen problems among ASEAN members,however for the purpose of this essay I will juicylight a few problems that are considered as big issue such as borders conflict, the issue of organized multinational hatred and munition race.Borders Conflict Issues8. Malaysia and Thailand.This border conflict has coarse existed since immemorial term.Since 1824 until 1851, presents in the north and the east rim of Malaya like Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis and Kedah were under the rule of the Siamese.However in 1904, under the agreement of the Anglo-Siamese, Siamese Government has given the authorities of protection, administration and control over these four states to the British.Together with the treaty is the Treaty Protocol that describes a brisk border betwixt Siam and t he British in Malaya at that date3.However, problems stable exist that the actual demarcation of the border between Malaysia and Thailand where it is still not have a solution, especially in Kelantan border area involving Golok.It is frightened that this situation may cause problems in future when land study to be implemented in the area, especially near the river.9. The other major issue that occurred at the border are activities of Separator Islamic freedom fighter movement in southern Thailand, especially in the Pattani and Narathiwat.These groups consist of a Patani United Liberation Organition (PULO), Pattani Liberation National Front (BNPP) and National Revolution Front (BRN).PULO believed to receive financial assistance from the military and radical Arab regimen in Syria and Libya.PULO reportedly established cooperation with the BNPP which is one of the oldest Muslim separatist groups but have a lack of influence.BNPP which is the Islam konsevatif group reportedly has c lose relationship with the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) which is currently ruled Kelantan at the east coast of Malaysia.BNPP influence has change magnitude since the death of Naser Tunku Yala in 1977.This is all due to loss of spiritual leadership for 30 years before and the defeat of PAS in Kelantan during the elections in 1978. later on that the group has been operating in the area of Ban Panare, Pattani under the bran- in the altogether leadership who is Badri Hamdan the university graduates from West Asia and Samsudin Abdul Ghani from Egypt4.Thailand Government leaders often do not feel satisfied with the support of the Kelantanese to the Patani great deal at that time.10. Military Cooperation. assorted efforts have been established in order to overcome and shorten the tension for example by enhancing the military cooperation between 2 countries.Among the efforts that have been and are being implemented are as fol depressedsa. Border Patrol. A form of border cooperation has been established since 1979.As a answer of the declaration of borders cooperation, sum border patrol between the Malaysia and Thailand army has been held until now. This has trim back tension on the border conflict between the 2 countries.In addition, this operation also helps in restraining the activities of the rebellion group from spreading to the Malaysian border.This cooperation has also brought a great deal success to curb import of people,goods and illegal border crossing activities.As a result, this bilateral cooperation has attachd the mutual trust between the 2 countries.b. Joint Training. Among the training that have been and are being held continouesly are collective military training, individual training and seminars.Military training as puzzle out THAMAL between Malaysia/ Thailand organize every year in order to reduce the tension in border conflict.Through the training it is also believe that they will be a deep understanding regarding the bilateral mi litary cooperation between both countries.c. conflux The eminentest Military Leaders. Visits and conference between the high levels of leadership from both Ministry of Defense al flairs conducted every year. This approach has house to closer relationship, mutual understanding and respect between each other. whatsoever sensitive issues disregard be solved together wisely to avoid any military action.In the 24th High Level mission Malaysia- Thailand both the military leader agreed that distressing and illegal activities in border area have been decreased5. On 9 regrets 2009 Prime minister of religion of Malaysia as request by the Prime Minister of Thailand has made a joint visit to the unstable region in southern Thailand.The purpose of the visit is to win the heart and mind of the people in that area. This effort shows how ASEAN countries are concerned around bilateral cooperation in solving problems between countries in the region as well as to increase the trust between each others6.11. Malaysia and Indonesia. Boundary problem between Malaysia and Indonesia exists barely in East Malaysia, covering Sabah and Sarawak. A very dour border between Sabah, Sarawak and Indonesia is very difficult to be mark.The thick forests and a lot of mountains make it difficult to be entered by anyone and do a big challenge for the border surveyors from both countries. As a result of the absence of stone boundary that separates between Sabah and Sarawak to Kalimantan has allowed the entry of illegal immigrants from Indonesia to Malaysia without any problems as well as the smuggle activities.12. All these illegal activities beseem a very sensitive issue discussed in the Malaysia-Indonesia Boundary charge and affected the relationship between both countries. Less en personnel departmentment by the Indonesian authorities has lead to the increasingly smuggling and illegal logging activities. stealing of the logging equipments such as bulldozers of the Malaysian worker s by the Indonesian has become a normal phenomena for them without thinking about their actions could cause conflict between the two countries.All these illegal activities will continue as long as the boundary problem is not resolved.13. Thai and Cambodia. Issue between the two countries are at the boundary of Range Dang Reo. Inaccuracies in the marker of the border along Reo Dang River between 1905 and 1917 have caused disputes between Thailand and Cambodia in 1958. This seam is due to the Angkor Wat TemplePreah Vihear, located at the border between the two countries. The conflict arised because of the different border area from the map that produced by the France and the one that with the Cambodian. Thailand which has occupied the area since 1945 refused to give any response raised by the French and Cambodia about the border. Thailand has insisted that the map prepared by one parties still and are not published. Finally in 1962, it has been successfully resolved by the ICJ and Cambodia won the case7.14. However, the conflicts between the two countries flared again in 2008 involving both military forces which at first caused at least two Cambodian soldiers died and wounded seven Thais soldiers. This issue arised when Cambodia applied to UNESCO for Preah Vihear Temple to be list in UNESCO World Heritage List8.Organised Transnational curse15. The concept of multinational crime actually took place more than than a quarter century ago. Transnational organized crime has become a big issue in the international arena9.Transnational actor the movement of the information, money, physical goods, people or things that are visible or not visible across state boundaries when at least one actor involved in the non-governmental movement10.According to the UN Secretariat, transnational crime has been defined as offences whose inception, prevention and / or direct or confirming effects involved more than one country11.When we talk about the concept of Transnational C rime, it is a criminal practise or activities undertaken by a planned crime organisation which lead to a criminal ofences of two or more countries12. Transnational Crime or nonionized Crime involves many crimes activities that occur around the world that ASEAN countries are also cannot escape from being drawn into the same activity. The activities have been occurring from time to time without any signs of activity undertaken to decrease. It involves criminal activity quite popular such as smuggling of goods, drugs, weapons and human beings. Those who commit criminal activities are exploitation increasingly clever and brave to tamp down out criminal activities. frugal recovery among ASEAN countries after the economic crisis from 1996 to 1998 was greatly influenced this activity and has helped expand transnational crime all over Southeast Asia. In 1994, the UN Secretariat has determine 18 categories of transnational crime in the world13which of the major transnational criminal ac tivities that hit ASEAN countries are smuggling goods, drugs and people.16. Drug Smuggling. Drug trafficking telephone line becomes a challenge to the economy growth within ASEAN country. It is not only a major source of bosom of Money Lender but also lead to the cause of war, murder and others criminal offences14. This illegal activity is very difficult to be contain totally even though various method such as strict checks at all border entry point implemented in ASEAN country. Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia known as the Golden Triangle is a nest of the largest drug producer in the region. Based on the studies conducted by U.S. government found that Myanmar still be the largest opium producer in the world15with production rate said to increase by 9 percent in the mid-1990s. Not less than 2,560 piles of opium has been produced by the country16. Therefore, it is difficult to eliminate drug trafficking activities as long as the situation continues.17. Human Trafficking. Huma n smuggling crimes have become a very popular activity since a long time where it deals with a lot of money. According to the study conducted by Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, it was estimated that 4 million people each year have been smuggled across the world17.International associations paying less tending to the efforts of monitoring individuals to enter the country illegally compare with the group smuggling activities18. Countries that have a strong economic position, such as Malaysia and Singapore become a major destination for human smuggling activities. The smuggling agents willing to faced high risks to do the activities because they can get fee between RM 2,000.00 to RM 4,800.00 per person19.18. Smuggling Goods. ASEAN countries can be seen in two contacts the countries that have high income rates for example Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore and countries that have low income rates for example Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam. The goods in high income rates countries are more expensive than the countries that have low incomes rates. This factor has encouraged smugglers to take high risks in smuggling activities. The smuggling activities of cars from Malaysia to Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia have been successfully reduced not long ago. The smuggling of cigarettes from Indonesia still exists because of the high demand. Clove cigarettes treasure million of dollars was confiscated by the customs of Malaysia in 1998 (Table 1)20.SerMonthTotal Cases metrePrice (RM)Tax (RM)1.January4909.11 kg215,660.00578,510.202.February49,558.2 kg569,680.001,857,984.043. work on92,749.115 kg210,013.65545,082.694.April21,690.44 kg17,756.0016,167.105.May2209.52 kg12,060.0014,489.736.June33,865.95 kg273,920.00761,315.777.July47,057.2 kg463,320.001,377,921.198.August83,452.27 kg226,514.00766,095.159.September69,884.83 kg704,920.001,947,847.1310.October113,619.82 kg225,598.00698,551.6311.November114,667.88 kg276,490.001,008,555.9812.December135,816.61 kg386 ,510.001,407,840.77Total7753,480.953,582,441.6510,980,361.38Table 1 Cigarettes Confiscated by the Customs of Malaysia in 199819. Arms Race Issues. Are there any arms race issues within ASEAN countries? According to Colin Gray, there are four basic conditions to be considered as arms race which area. There must be two or more parties, certain of their antagonism.b. They must structure their armed forces with attention to the probable effectiveness of the forces in combat with, or as a deterrent to, the other arms race participants.c. They must compete in term of quantity and quality.d. There must be rapid increases in quantity and/or improvements in quality21.20. The momentum of military build up among the ASEAN countries increase in the 1980s and 1990s, however since the financial crisis in 1997 the force modernisation has deceleration down22except for Singapore that has less affected in the crisis and go on its military build up. A few reason of why the process of equisition of military equipment within ASEAN country still continueing eventhough in a thudding manner is because of to protect economic resources, requirement for EEZ surveillance and protection, inter state tension in the region, internal security caused by the terrorism threat for example after the Sep 11 incident in US and conflict between Thailand Government and the rebellions from the southern part of the state. Based on the study,23it is identified that non of the process of military modernisation comply with the conditions tell by Colin Gray. There is no ASEAN country that has a really serious conflict between one another. The border crisis between Thailand and Cambodia which flared in 2008 anyway still can be resolved where both countries still concern the importance of the relationship between ASEAN countries. Force modernisation in Southeast Asia can be considered as arms build-up rather than arms race.Does the Assiociation Represent a Long Term Alternative to Balance Of provide St rategies, or a Complement to Such?21. For this question I will highlight the computer program that has been established by ASEAN such as the ASEAN Regional meeting place (ARF) and East Asia summit meeting (EAS) and the external cooperation between ASEAN and major power outside the region.22. Establishment of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). ASEAN countries agreed with the iniative to establish ARF in the 26th ASEAN ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial Conference which were held on 23 to 25 July 1993. Then the inaugural meeting held in Bangkok on July 1994. The objectives of ARF area. To fster constructive dialougue and consultation on political and security ssues of common interest and concern.b. To make significant contributions to effort towards confidence building and hitch discretion in the Asia Pacific region24.The current importance members of ARF are US, chinaware, India, Japan, European Union and Republic of Korea. To build confidence and the capability to cooperate, th e ARF also conducts such cooperative multilateral activities such as observation of military exercises, exchanges between defence colleges, joint training and exercises in search-and-rescue and disaster relief, and the maintenance of a registry of conventional arms. up-to-the-minute in the 16th ARF that has been conducted in Thailand on 23 July 2009 has come out with a vision statement for ARF by 2020 which focus on to building a region of peace, friendship and prosperity. In year 2009 also, ARF has conducted a lot of conference, dialogue and seminar regarding national threat such as terrorism and transnational crime, maritime security and law and rule on the participation in International Disaster Relief. In promoting mutual assurance, the ARF has proven its value in three stages evolution from confidence building, preventive diplomacy and for the longer term is the approaches to conflict resolution.23. The Establishment of East Asia steer (EAS). The first EAS was held in Kuala Lumpur on 14 Dec 2005. The members of the EAS are the ten of ASEAN countries, Australia, Peoples Republic of China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea ad New Zealand. EAS was held as part of the boilersuit ASEAN meeting25. In the first meeting, the discussion emphasized more towards on developing communication among the members and based on the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the EAS indicated that it will be a forum for dialogue on broad strategic, political and economic issues of common interest and concern and with the aim similar to the ARF which is to campaign peace, stability and economic prosperity in EAST Asia26. It was also stated in the Kuala Lumpur declaration that EAS will be an open, inclusive, transparent and outward-looking forum to establish global norms and universal recognized values with ASEAN as the driving force27. Since the establishment in 2005 till 2009 most of the discussion focus on desease prevention such as avian influenza issue and verve security issue which focus more towards the environment and health problems. Latest in 28th Aug 2008 the AEM+6 has been launch and then established the sparing Reasearch Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) which the purpose of establishment was to identified the best way of economic integration, narrowing maturation gaps between members and how the energy development can sustain for long term28.External Cooperation between ASEAN and Major Power Outside the Region24. ASEAN and Japan. ASEAN and Japan first established informal relations in 1973. The ties were later formalised with the establishment of the ASEAN-Japan Forum in knock against 1977. Since then, the ASEAN-Japan Forum has met once every 18-24 months. In early August 1977, the Nipponese Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Takeo Fukuda met with the ASEAN Heads of Government at the Second ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. The Japanese Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Noboru Takeshita met with his ASEAN counterparts in Manila during the Third ASEAN Summit in Dece mber 1987. At the meeting, ASEAN and Japan announced a new partnership toward peace and prosperity. Japan has been ASEANs top trading partner for many years. In 1993, two-way trade between Japan and ASEAN amounted to nearly US$87 billion and in 1996, it rose to US$109.0 billion, representing nearly 21% of ASEANs total external trade. On the other hand, Japans trade with ASEAN accounted for about 15% of her total external trade. A unique feature of ASEAN-Japan cooperation is the ASEAN Promotion Centre on switch, enthronisation and Tourism in Tokyo.The Centre was set up in 1981 under the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism between ASEAN fragment Countries and Japan. It is jointly funded by contributions from Japan and ASEAN Member Countries. In January 2002, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiru Koizumi visited a number of ASEAN countries and proposed several(prenominal) new initiatives for cooperation. These include the designation of 200 3 as the Year of ASEAN-Japan Exchange, reinforced cooperation in education and HRD, solidifying the security relations between Japan and ASEAN, the ASEAN-Japan worldwide Economic Partnership (CEP), and the Initiative for Development in East Asia IDEA. Consultations to carry out these initiatives are proceeding. The recent establishment of the Japan-ASEAN General Exchange ancestry (JAGEF) has generated a number of cooperation activities in support of greater ASEAN integration.ASEAN and United States. later on the demise of the Cold War, though in a reduced scale, increased US economic interests in the region is an important factor for her in maintaining its military heraldic bearing in the region. The US presence in the region can become a stabilizing factor only if its military presence can be retained and its economic and political presence is accepted.29The US participates in a series of consultative meetings with ASEAN which includes the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Post M inisterial Conferences (PMC) 9+1 and 9+10, the ASEAN Economic Minister-US Trade Representatives (AEM-USTR), the Senior Economic Officials Meeting-US Trade Representatives (SEOM-USTR), the ASEAN-US communication Meeting, the Joint Planning Committee(JPC) Meeting and the ASEAN-US Business Council. The ASEAN-Washington Committee also assist in conducting and maintaining the dialogue with the US. The ASEAN-US dialog has also focused more and more on political and security discussions over the years, particularly with the end of the Cold War. The principle focus of the ASEAN-US security dialogue has been the role of the US in maintaining stability in the region. ASEAN and the US have signed a Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism on 1 August 2002 in Bandar Seri Begawan.ASEAN and China. Until the 1980s China had largely neglected its claims, preoccupied with more pressing defence demands and abstracted in any case the military resources to intervene in the area. As a result, during much of the Cold War, the massive expanse of the South China Sea acted as a sort of buffer partition off between ASEAN and China, largely preventing direct contact between their respective forces. At present, all the countries concerned investing heavily in forces to defend their claims, in some cases encouraged by the Law of the Sea, and with growing speculation as to the value of the resources contained in the area, the South China Sea has been transformed into a zone of contention and possible conflict.30Singapores Senior Minister Lee Kwan Yew warned that unless this issue is resolved in a sensitive way, the present friendly relations between ASEAN and China could revert to the awkward relations of the decade when China back up guerrilla insurgencies in many ASEAN countries.31In July 1996, China was accorded full Dialogue Partner status at the 29th AMM in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Chinese unrighteousness Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Qian Qichen attended the meeting as a representative of a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN for the first time.It is hoped that the new generation of leaders in China will allow a more open and pluralistic system to develop and, thus, will enable China to become an integral part of the international community of nations. As a major power in the Asia-Pacific region that possesses nuclear weapons and has espouse a non-aligned posture, China has a unique and important position in regional efforts to promote regional stability. It has become extremely active and more positive in regional multi-lateral institutions, such as the ARF, CSCAP and the ISIS Roundtable on Peace and Security in the Asia-Pacific for the past years. For ASEAN, this is a welcome development and hopefully the US would see it in the same way although a nuance may remain on the objectives of those regional institutions in