Chapter 6: Transnational Violence and Crime in Southeast Asia §

Introduction §

SEA Sources of Threats

• Traditional threats: territorial disputes Chapter 5: SCS
• Non-traditional threats: terrorism…? Chapter 6

II. Terrorism §

Violent acts to cause fear for reasons of

• Religious
• Political
• Ideological

1. Terrorism in SEA §

9/11 U.S. “War on Terror”

Supported By

• The Phillipines
• Thailand

Opposed for anti-western concerns By

• Indonesia (Muslim)
• Malaysia arrested terrorist suspects
• SEA terrorist groups linked to Al Qaeda

2. JI §

|1950s JI pursued revolt for Islamic State (Against Gov’t)

• Leader: Abu Bakar Ba’a sjir (school teacher)

|1990s, JI fled to Malaysia, returned in Post-Suharto (2000)

3. JI in Indonesia §

|Post-9/11: gov’t take no action against JI

• JI propaganda from US’s “War on Terror” as movement for Islam

|2002, Oct: bombing linked to JI & Al-Qaeda

⇒ Abu Bakar Ba’asjir arrested multiple times, released back (symbol of nationalism)

|2007: president crackdown on JI but it stayed alive

4. The Philippines and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) §

Abu Sayyaf Group(ASG): group of Islamic extremists in Mindanao

Goal: create an Islamic independent state

Funding:

• Banditry

• Piracy

• Extortion

• Kidnapping (randsome)

Connected to JI & Al-Qaeda

⚔️ The Philippines’s “War on Muslim” vs US’s “War on Terror”

5. Regional Response §

|2001: ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism

Goal: Combat Terrorism

Method: level of response is relative to each member

• Some members not comfortable on US’s position on terrorism

|2002: ASEAN Joint Declaration

After bombing in Bali

Rejected “link between religion and terrorism”

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• ARF used for counter-terrorism funding
• ASEAN+3 dialogue countered terrorism
• ASEAN+US Joint Declaration on terrorisms
• 2003: SEA Regional Center for Counter-Terrorism
• 2007: ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism

III. Transnational Crime §

Crime committed in more than one state (pg: 178)

1. Global Level §

The United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (ToC)

Goal: to promote greater in’t cooperation to fight criminal syndicates and network

2. ASEAN Level §

• Bali Concord I (1976)

  Goal: to tackle narcotic trafficking

• ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime (1997)

  • AMM on Transnational Crime

    Works with

    • ASEAN Senior Official Meeting on Transnational Crimes (SOMTC)
    • ASEAN Chiefs of Police (ASEANAPOL)
    • ASEANAPOL database system for each state to access and use

3. Piracy §

Act of boarding vessels with intent to commit a crime

Impacts: §

• affect int’ trade in SEA waterways
• Link with terrorism
  • Fund terrorism
  • Affect navigation and environmental effects
  • Use of natural gas/powerful bombs

Actions: §

• Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia
• Create information sharing center in Singapore

4. Narcotics §

• Opiates (natural)

• Methamphetamine-type stimulants

Effects §

• Social devastating
• Economical undermining
• Politically corrupting consequences (false arrests)

Location §

The Golden Triangle

• Laos

• Indonesia

• Myanmar

Narcotics made in mountainous areas among the traiangle

ASEAN Response §

|1976: Declaration of Principles to Combat the Abuse of Narcotic Drugs

• ASEAN Regional Policy and Strategy in the Prevention and Control of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

|1998: Joint Declaration for a Drug Free ASEAN 2020

|2012: ASEAN Leaders Declaration on Drug Free ASEAN 2015 (failed)

• make “a drug-free ASEAN by 2015” as a priority for ASEAN

Death Penalty for Drug Offences caused concern for human rights

Extrajudicial killing: the killing of civilians by the government without the process of judicial authority

• Singapore
• Vietnam
• Malaysia
• Indonesia

5. Trafficking in Person §

Human Trafficking: Taking and transporting people by force/coercion for the exploitation of ransom or forced labor

Exploitations

• Forced labor
• Prostitution
• …

People Smuggling: human trafficking or transportation with consent using payment and illegal methods

Impacts §

• Implicate social costs (human rights, welfare & public health)
• Originates in SEA and impacts SEA itself

Actions Taken §

🛣️ Method of 3 Ps of trafficking:

• Prevention
• Prosecution
• Protection

|1997: ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime

…?

• US Department of State’s Trafficking in Person Report
  • Tire 1: Countries fully comply with conditions to tackle trafficking
  • Tire 2: Countries not fully comply with conditions to tackle trafficking
  • Tire 3: Countries that don’t satisfy minimum of conditions to tackle trafficking

Conclusion §

• Since 1976 ASEAN leaders have tried to deal with transnational crimes

• ASEAN has no ability to enforce it’s counter-transnational-crimes policies

• ASEAN members pursue their own method and actions according to their unique interests

  Different religions, challenges, abilities, level of severity among ASEAN members

• Failed attempt of the vision of Drug Free ASEAN 2015