World Geopolitics: Escalation of Indonesia’s Position in World Peace
Penulis: Muhammad Ali Syahadah, Naia Asa Ramadina
| Divisi Riset dan Keilmuan
Kabinet Garda Cipta HMGP UGM 2023
The current condition of the world is not okay, after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made the world economy stop for several years, conflicts emerged between countries with various impacts afterward. In Eastern Europe, there was a conflict between Russia and Ukraine that occurred after Russia made an invasion of the Ukraine region. In addition, there was still an increase in tension between Serbia and Kosovo in the Eastern European country. Increasing tensions between countries on an international scale also occurred in the African continent that was triggered by a coup in Niger, making neighboring countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso enter high alert status. The Middle East is also heating up at this time with the onslaught of Israel attacks on Palestine which has caused many casualties. Even around Indonesia, there are still tensions related to the South China Sea, which involves several ASEAN countries with China.
Indonesia is a country that strongly supports and upholds the rule of law. In the face of various global conflicts that currently arise, it can be inferred that Indonesia’s position in each conflict is clear, as it consistently takes the side of justice and upholds the principle of justice. To make this clear, Indonesia actively engages in international relations and participates in international organizations. In international organizations, Indonesia often shows its serious commitment to resolving global conflicts and maintaining peace, security, cooperation, and conflict resolution or issue management (Rosyidin, 2020).
Within international organizations, Indonesia is perceived as representing a developing country that consistently strives to create fair agreements among nations. Due to its active involvement in peace-building efforts and conflict resolution, Indonesia has been selected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and the United Nations Human Rights Council (Adwani, 2022). Additionally, international organizations such as ASEAN often designate Indonesia as a mediator to bridge conflicts in the Southeast Asian region. Indonesia is also actively engaged in religious organizations, such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where it contributes to the resolution of Islamophobia issues. Furthermore, Indonesia plays a pivotal role in various international conferences and movements aimed at achieving peace, serving as a mediator in the resolution of global conflicts. Tangible manifestations of Indonesia’s commitment to a peaceful and stable world include its role as one of the initiators of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Jakarta Informal Meeting (JIM). It is essential for Indonesia to continue actively participating in the pursuit of global peace and to provide concrete resolutions for resolving ongoing global conflicts.
Furthermore, Indonesia, in high tension in the world, has made some movements beside joining international organizations. One of the actions taken by the Indonesian government is the condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the G-20 forum, resulting in geopolitical instability and the threat of a humanitarian crisis (Purwati et al., 2023). Referring to the publication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia (2023), in the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, the Indonesian government took serious steps by issuing numerous strong statements in support of Palestinian independence. Additionally, there were movements within Indonesian society to boycott products supporting the Israeli Zionist movement. These actions reflect Indonesia’s commitment to peace, whether through participation in international organizations or advocacy efforts, guided by the reactive principle and the constitutional goals of Indonesia’s foreign policy (Budiana, 2023). However, looking at the other side of Indonesia’s role in promoting global peace, there is still much work to be done. For instance, Indonesia has not been successful in resolving the conflict in Myanmar, which has led to violations by the Military Junta against the people, resulting in the exodus of several ethnic groups, such as the Rohingyas, to other ASEAN countries. Despite the non-intervention pact within ASEAN member states, Indonesia’s global position is still not strong, as evident in the South China Sea issue.
The South China Sea conflict is one form of territorial dispute, where the area covers approximately 3.5 million km2 and more than 250 islands. The South China Sea is a strategic area, serving as a maritime route for international shipping that primarily connects trade routes of countries in Europe, America, and Asia. Additionally, the South China Sea is a region with abundant resources such as oil and gas, biodiversity, and fisheries, making it a valuable area for economic growth. As a result, many countries are interested in controlling and taking ownership of this region. The South China Sea dispute involves six countries, namely China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The conflict has escalated with China’s changing of the maritime boundary lines. However, in reality, the dispute not only affects these six countries but also has a spillover effect on other countries, such as the United States and Indonesia. The spillover effect on Indonesia arises from the disruption of its rights, authority, and claims over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the northern Natuna Islands (Muslimah & Adi, 2020). This situation can harm the country’s people by limiting access to resources, such as requesting the cessation of oil and gas drilling in the Natuna Islands’ EEZ. Such circumstances can have a negative impact on Indonesia’s economic value and stability.
Considering the South China Sea conflict, Indonesia needs to have a careful approach in managing the conflict. Indonesia should synchronize its policies, both external and internal, to not only respond to external policies but also to pay attention to its own policies. The synchronization should aim to find a mutually beneficial resolution to address the conflict and maintain stability in the South China Sea. Various diplomatic efforts and strategies carried out by Indonesia to help resolve the conflict need to be reviewed and pay more attention to its own policies. Indonesia itself needs to be vigilant and take firm action to maintain the stability of its economy and territory, especially in the face of conflicts in the northern Natuna Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Indonesia should assert its rights over the zone to protect its sovereignty. In addition, Indonesia needs to work with anti-sabotage and security efforts with military forces to maintain the territorial integrity of its maritime territory, especially in areas prone to conflict. Indonesia also needs policies and reorientation in posture development as a realistic, counter-intuitive, and comprehensive strategy to protect its territorial maritime sovereignty. Concepts of defense and security that match external policies and internal defense and security policies should be discussed immediately to develop effective and appropriate strategies to address the conflict.
Referensi
Rosyidin, M. (2020). Indonesia: Menuju Kekuatan Global Abad 21. Elex Media Komputindo.
Purwati, R., Almubaroq, H. Z., & Saptono, E. (2023). Indonesia’s role in the G20 presidency during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Defense and Security Studies, 4, 23–28.
Budiana, M. (2023). Analysis of Indonesia’s Foreign Policy during President Jokowi. Jurnal Mantik, 6(3), 3564–3570.
Adwani, A. (2022). EKSISTENSI INDONESIA SEBAGAI ANGGOTA TIDAK TETAP DEWAN KEAMANAN PBB DALAM MEWUJUDKAN PERDAMAIAN DAN KEAMANAN INTERNASIONAL. Jurnal Hukum Samudra Keadilan, 17(1), 1–13.
Muslimah, F., & Adi, D. P. (2020). Analisis Konflik Kepulauan Natuna Pasa Tahun 2016–2019. Jurnal Al-Ahkam: Jurnal Hukum Pidana Islam, 2(2), 87–96.
Purwati, R., Almubaroq, H. Z., & Saptono, E. (2023). Indonesia’s role in the G20 presidency during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Defense and Security Studies, 4, 23–28.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. (January, 2023). Indonesia Consistently Fights for the Rights and Independence of the Palestinian People. https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/read/5661/view/indonesia-consistently-fights-for-the-rights-and-independence-of-the-palestinian-people
