Jakarta (ANTARA) - International relations expert Emir Chairullah\nbelieves the spirit of the Asian-African Conference (KAA) remains\nrelevant to this day, although its implementation is often hindered by\nelite interests and regime policy directions amid global political\ndynamics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spirit is still there, in my opinion it hasn\u2019t disappeared. It\u2019s\nnot just symbolic either. The problem is implementation. Implementation\ndepends on the leadership or the regime in power,\u201d said Emir when\ncontacted by ANTARA in Jakarta on Saturday, when asked about the\nrelevance of the 71-year-old KAA.<\/p>\n
The University of Indonesia lecturer explained that the Dasasila\nBandung formulated at that conference remains an important reference,\nincluding in upholding human rights and state sovereignty. Those\nprinciples emerged from the 1955 KAA in Bandung and form the basis for\ncooperation and peace between nations to this day.<\/p>\n
He emphasised that no citizens want to be colonised or lose their\nresources, and everyone desires a more decent and equal life. However,\npolitical reality shows that implementing those principles often clashes\nwith each country\u2019s national interests, even with domestic elite\ninterests.<\/p>\n
According to Emir, inter-state conflicts are not merely the will of\nthe people, but the result of elite interests and global power\nstruggles. He cited the Iran-Iraq war, which cannot be seen as a purely\npopular conflict, but involves other actors behind the war.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat then clashes are the interests of each country\u2019s leaders. Each\ncountry\u2019s leaders, some of whom may align themselves with the Global\nNorth, perhaps because they gain financial benefits, then disregard\ntheir citizens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This situation, he continued, gives rise to new patterns in global\npolarisation that resemble modern colonialism, particularly in the form\nof natural resource exploitation.<\/p>\n
Emir also cited the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by\nthe United States, which he links to oil resource interests, as well as\nthe US-Israel conflict with Iran, which he views as related to control\nover uranium reserves.<\/p>\n
As one of the initiators of the KAA, Indonesia is seen to have the\nopportunity to revive the spirit of solidarity among developing\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, the opportunity is there, always there because after all\nIndonesia is the initiator. Including the initiator in freeing from what\nis called colonialism,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Emir cautioned that Indonesia\u2019s current diplomatic\nsteps still need balance. Closeness to major countries is seen as part\nof strategy, but it would be stronger if accompanied by efforts to\nstrengthen Asian-African solidarity, in line with the KAA spirit.<\/p>\n
The Asian-African Conference itself was held in Bandung, West Java,\nfrom 18\u201324 April 1955 and attended by 29 countries from Asia and Africa,\nmost of which had recently gained independence or were struggling to\nbreak free from colonialism.<\/p>\n
One of the important outcomes of the KAA was the birth of shared\nprinciples known as the Dasasila Bandung. Its contents include respect\nfor state sovereignty, non-interference in domestic affairs, peaceful\nconflict resolution, and the enforcement of human rights.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/experts-believe-the-spirit-of-the-asian-african-conference-remains-alive-but-stumbles-on-implementation-1776502251", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }