Smog: ASEAN's unconventional security threat

Smog: ASEAN's unconventional security threat

By A.K.P.Mochtan

JAKARTA (JP): The smog which is emanating from Indonesia and
plaguing Southeast Asia has come at an unfortunate time. A time
when the region's governments are wrestling with economies
allegedly being attacked by foreign speculators.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was caught
completely off guard. It reacted slowly to both problems and has
only been partially successful in overcoming them. This puts a
big question mark on the effectiveness of intra-ASEAN cooperative
security, particularly the association's sophistication and
preparedness to handle nonconventional security threats.

ASEAN has identified some sources of nonconventional security
threats and has made a joint commitment to overcome them. The
last such attempt was in 1996, when the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
agreed to take up new economic crimes such as extortion and money
laundering into its agenda.

These new sources of identifiable nonconventional security
threats expand the previous ASEAN "watch-list", which includes
piracy, illegal immigration, and illicit drugs. In short, ASEAN
has all the political will and intention to work together to
minimize nonconventional security threats from escalating.

What ASEAN is failing to do is to initiate concrete actions to
back up its political commitment. Of these, two important
elements are conspicuously missing. The first is a credible and
effective early warning system. The second, following on from the
first stipulation, is a mechanism for coordinated joint actions,
with particular emphasis on swiftness and thoroughness.

The most difficult part in trying to materialize these
arrangements is complying with the nature of the nonconventional
security threat itself. As demonstrated by the haze problem, a
nonconventional security threat often transpires as an entirely
new issue, unforeseen and unpredictable.

For this reason, it is absolutely imperative that ASEAN opens
up and solicits input from all potential quarters, including non-
governmental actors, such as scholars and NGO activists. This is
particularly relevant for environmental-related issues, in which
many NGOs excel and have made commendable contributions. In other
words, by widening the sources of input and participation, there
are better prospects that ASEAN would be better prepared.

An equally important prerequisite is for ASEAN governments to
be more sensitive and farsighted in formulating their
developmental plans and policies. There are indications that
suggest nonconventional security issues often occur as byproducts
of development activities.

As the haze problem in Indonesia exemplifies, more legal
measures and enforcements must be incorporated into developmental
policies, to ensure that investors act more responsibly and not
simply aim for quick profit.

An early warning system for nonconventional security threats
could then start with an exchange of assessments over individual
members' developmental activities and progress, stressing the
areas where a country performs less successfully. To be
objective, the country may want to invite independent assessments
by NGOs, according to their areas of expertise.

This may not be the common way of ASEAN operations. But, as
unconventional security threats are often elusive and
unpredictable, ASEAN could only gain by being daring and
innovative.

A precise mechanism for joint action may be difficult to
arrive at, especially if it entails permanent structures and
arrangements. A regional crisis management center is not an
urgent priority for Southeast Asia. The same role and function is
best carried out by the designated national institution, working
in close collaboration and coordination with its neighboring
counterparts.

Noting the far-reaching consequences and nonconventional
security threats could bring to all members of the association,
ASEAN must, at the very least, agree on the basic principles that
will allow swift action.

This action may include fact-finding missions, standby
arrangements, and if necessary, joint training and exercises. The
main objective of these activities is to enable detection of
problems at the earliest stage possible.

The haze issue is a major disaster for Southeast Asia. It is a
big loss for Indonesia particularly, especially its future
generations. The most worrying part is that there is no guarantee
that the same disaster will not reoccur. The best chance
Southeast Asia and ASEAN has is to minimize the risk, by
understanding more the nature of nonconventional security threats
and from there, acting swiftly and effectively to overcome them.

The writer is an analyst at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies.