Ocean peacekeeping for safe passage<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Among the international community, with its broad range of
\ninterdependent relationships, security has become a far-reaching
\nconcept that includes the preservation of international peace.
\nPeacekeeping has long been referred to as a field operation under
\nthe auspices of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
The recent initiative by the three littoral states --
\nIndonesia, Malaysia and Singapore -- to establish a coordinated
\npatrol of the Strait of Malacca, is particularly significant amid
\nthe increasing threat of piracy and possible terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
The coordinated patrol is also an opportunity for other
\ncountries to consider regional cooperation at sea.<\/p>\n
Maritime affairs, including the protection of the environment,
\nmarine resources and piracy are, for littoral states, a priority.<\/p>\n
The idea of ocean peacekeeping can be traced back to the
\nUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which
\nestablished a basis for the effective use of the ocean for the
\nfuture of mankind. The protection of sea lanes, for example,
\nrequires the cooperative efforts of all countries, and the
\nconvention clarifies the rights and obligations of contracting
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Peacekeeping issues have exhaustively been debated by
\ncountries in the region under the Asean Regional Forum (ARF)
\nsince the mid 1990s. However, since 2001, the ARF has rarely
\ndiscussed the subject of peacekeeping. ARF member states accept a
\nconventional understanding of peacekeeping, namely national
\nmilitaries operating under the auspices of the UN.<\/p>\n
The ARF has constantly repeated that peacekeeping remains an
\nissue for the UN. Indonesia recently proposed that ASEAN should
\nhave at its disposal an ASEAN peacekeeping mechanism. However,
\nASEAN or ARF peacekeeping ignores, to an extent, recent
\ndevelopments at sea.<\/p>\n
Lack of security at sea does, of course, have serious
\nrepercussions for security on land. Given increasing threats at
\nsea, it is vital that the region of Southeast Asia in particular
\ninitiate multilateral arrangements that specifically address
\ncommon maritime problems -- such as environmental protection,
\nsmuggling, safety navigation, maritime piracy or even terrorism
\n-- in the form of ocean peacekeeping.<\/p>\n
Ocean peacekeeping involves international cooperation between
\nregional navies and maritime policing organizations to conduct
\nsurveillance activities, intended not only to protect and manage
\nmarine resources and conserve the environment, but also to
\nprotect the sea from becoming fertile \"ground\" for attacks.<\/p>\n
The solution to long-term genuine security in Southeast Asia
\nmay be at sea. The recent proposal that there should be regular
\ninterregional navy cooperation is one way of keeping the navy
\ncontinually informed about developments at sea.<\/p>\n
If ocean peacekeeping in Southeast Asia is feasible, it should
\nbe based on the view that obstructions to the sustainable use of
\nthe sea are a common threat.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asian interregional navy cooperation has existed for
\nsome time, but now, with the fusion of various threats, it is
\nimperative to act to keep those threats at bay.<\/p>\n
Navies must expand upon their traditional duties -- that is to
\ninclude not just activities dealing with armed conflicts in the
\nsea, but also those relating to ocean governance.<\/p>\n
The ocean peacekeeping activities of Southeast Asian countries
\nmay be carried out based on regional arrangements, or a
\nmemorandum of understanding (MOU) between them.<\/p>\n
Given the spirit of Southeast Asian nations to continually
\nwork together, and believing that they face a common threat at
\nsea -- albeit a long-term one, an ocean peacekeeping mechanism
\nseems like a logical solution. It is, however, entirely different
\nfrom peacekeeping carried out under the resolution of the UN
\nSecurity Council -- in the sense that regional ocean peacekeeping
\ndoes not require a UN mandate.<\/p>\n
Cooperation for ocean peacekeeping should be considered part
\nof discussions on regional security.<\/p>\n
Because the flow of goods to the region of Southeast Asia is
\nmostly via sea, it is important that ocean peacekeeping be
\nfocused on the security of commercial sea lanes, with navies and
\nmarine police given a special role in the operation. For this to
\nhappen, coastal states in Southeast Asia must be granted
\njurisdiction under regional agreements or MOUs.<\/p>\n
Such an agreement would empower a littoral state to crack down
\non the violation of its laws and regulations by sea vessels, even
\nthose within the exclusive economic zone of another country. This
\nwould seem to reflect in the decision of Indonesia, Malaysia and
\nSingapore to act together in the Strait of Malacca. Thus, the
\nbasic foundation for ocean peacekeeping in an ASEAN context is
\nalready in place.<\/p>\n
While taking into consideration the ability and situation of
\neach country in the region, it is timely to intensify the debate
\nover various issues arising from the ocean-peacekeeping concept.
\nASEAN should look into the possibility that ocean peacekeeping be
\npart of the activities of its Security Community.<\/p>\n
The writer (bandoro@csis.or.id) is editor of The Indonesian
\nQuarterly of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies
\n(CSIS). He is also a lecturer at the University of Indonesia.<\/p>",
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