ASEAN people give cool reception to war against terrorism<\/p>\n
Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Sanur, Bali<\/p>\n
A few weeks ahead of the commemoration of the Sept. 11 tragedy,
\nthe United States has not gained wholehearted support of the
\nSoutheast Asian people for its global war against terrorism.<\/p>\n
Participants of the ongoing ASEAN People's Assembly have
\nexpressed concerns that the U.S-led crackdown on terrorism has
\ncontinued to be used by the country to garner support for its
\nunilateral actions and by other governments to oppress their own
\ncitizens.<\/p>\n
Sukhumbhand Paribatra, a Thailand member of Parliament, said
\nafter Sept. 11 it has been easier for powerful regimes to exploit
\nthe issue of terrorism for their own interests. Israel, for
\ninstance, uses the issue to destroy the Palestinian people, and
\nRussia can now more easily justify its policy against Chechnya.<\/p>\n
China and Indonesia are no exception, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia uses the terrorism issue to exert pressure on the
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM),\" he said, referring to the separatist
\nrebel group who have been struggling for independence since 1976.<\/p>\n
Paribatra was speaking in the first panel discussion at the
\nsecond ASEAN People's Assembly here on Friday night.<\/p>\n
He said ASEAN members, including the Philippine and Indonesian
\ngovernments, had begun to cooperate more closely with the U.S. on
\na bilateral level a few months after the attacks which were
\nblamed on the extremist group al-Qaeda led by Saudi Arabian-born
\nbusinessman Osama bin Laden.<\/p>\n
\"We should not tie ourselves to a U.S. policy that may be
\ndangerous to the region,\" Paribatra said.<\/p>\n
Criticism has been raised against the U.S. military exercises
\nin the Philippines, which included the direct involvement in
\nfighting Muslim rebels under Abu Sayyaf.<\/p>\n
Paribatra suggested that ASEAN countries eventually extend
\ntheir collaboration among member governments in combating
\nterrorism, which includes a more systematic region-wide data and
\nintelligence sharing; provision of money and military hardware;
\nand preparations for joint law enforcement or and when necessary,
\njoint military operations.<\/p>\n
But even this enhanced cooperation will not be sufficient, as
\n\"the region's structural vulnerabilities\" remain unsettled,
\nParibatra said.<\/p>\n
Describing the vulnerability, he cited Southeast Asia's great
\ndiversity of races and ethnic groups. The region is also a point
\nof convergence for three of history's greatest civilizations and
\nbelief systems.<\/p>\n
But Southeast Asia is also home to a number of alleged
\nterrorist groups. A number of them are reportedly involved in
\nseparatist struggles, which complicates the problem.<\/p>\n
\"Terrorism has always been linked to Islam and here in the
\nregion, Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country. The
\nSept. 11 tragedy has made Islam a center of attention and
\nsuspicion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Since the mid l960s, Indonesia has been a strong pillar of
\nregional cooperation.<\/p>\n
\"Islam has been an integral part of the region's peace and
\nprogress. Therefore the threat of radical Islam should not be
\nexaggerated, and it must be stressed that the region's Muslims
\nare peaceful and wish to live in peace among themselves and with
\nothers,\" Paribatra said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-people-give-cool-reception-to-war-against-terrorism-1447893297",
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