ASEAN and Its approaches to peace and development.

MD. Shakhawoat Hossain

Department of Peace and Conflict Studies

University of Dhaka

Abstract:

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered as a most successful intergovernmental regional organization in the world after the European Union (EU). It’s contributed a lot for establishing regional stability, durable peace and security in Southeast Asia by taking effective approaches to solve problematic issues among its members state and helped to create a long term peaceful interaction among them. Moreover, through its evolution ASEAN member States always maintained a good cooperative relationship with one another and show full respect of sovereignty and keep remain non-interference internal affairs of others  and willing to make efforts to achieve highly integrated economic development.  These types’ issues and strategies helped ASEAN to become a regional power in Southeast Asia.

Introduction:

The association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand with the AEEAN declaration (also called Bangkok declaration) in 1967. The main aim is to establish this intergovernmental regional organization is to promotes mutual understanding and friendly relationships among the states of the region and to create a regional stability by enhancing peace and security through abiding respect for justice and rule of law in the relationships among countries of the region by showing clear obligation to principles of the UN Charter. However, it is really true that the establishing of ASEAN gives its members of stated not only set a clear vision for making a peaceful an stable community but also enhanced its capacity to respond effectively to challenges and make enough opportunity for ensuring sustainable economic development. On the other hand, as an intergovernmental institution, The ASEAN is also considered as successful organization to establish and preserving peace in Southeast Asia and always played significant role in post conflict reconstruction issues among its members. In this writing I would like to introduce about the ASEAN and its approach to conflict resolution and peace building, security and development.

ASEAN:

According to the ASEAN declaration 1967  the Association of South-east Asian Nations was established is “ To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.”

According to the Prof. Clara PORTELA, Singapore Management University, Singapore “The ASEAN is an international organization which consistently maintained its attachment to the full of respect of national sovereignty and the principle of non –interference in internal affairs and translates into consensual decision-making, non legally binding agreements and the lack of sanctions for non-compliance. A major breakthrough in terms of institutionalization came about with the signing of the ASEAN charter in 2007”.

Cause of establishing ASEAN:

The main reason for establishing ASEAN was Indonesia’s policy of “Konfrontasi” with Malaysia and its rejection of Malaysian’s claim to independent statehood. So the establishment of ASEAN helped Malaysia to gain independence from Indonesia and motivated the other countries of the region to conduct friendly relationships, resolve their disputes peacefully and to refrains from interfering in each the internal affairs.

 The process of Institutionalization:

The process of institutionalization of ASEAN has been gradual, slow and remains limited. It followed some steps to make ASEAN as formal institution which are given below-

1.      First step; the Treaty of Amity and co-operation (TAC): The first steps towards institutionalization of ASEAN were undertaken in 1976, when the Treaty of Amity and co-operation (TAC) was signed. This legally binding document enshrined ASEAN member’s attachment for national sovereignty and established the principle of non-intervention.

2.      Second Step; Formatting the Secretariat: After signing the TAC a Secrateriat was founded in Jakarta to support ASEAN’s activities.

3.      Third Step; Expansion of memberships: In the third steps ASEAN expanded its memberships, first admitting the Brunei (1985), and following the end of cold war Vietnam (1995), Mayanmar and Laos (1997) and Cambodia (1999).

4.      Forth Step; Signing of the ASEAN Charter: The main breakthrough in terms o institutionalization came about with the signing of the ASEAN charter in 2007 which entered into forced in 2009.

5.      Fifth Step; Establishing the ASEAN summit: The establishing of ASEAN summit comprising head of state and gobernment as the supreme decion making body and streanthns the power of the ASEaN secretary General, including monitoring member states, compliance with ASEAN decisions.

6.      Final Step; Creation of three distinct communities: For developing its economy and establishing co-operative relationships ASEAN’s created three distinct communities which govern by different council. These three communities as follows-The politico-security community, the socio-cultural community, the economic community.

Institutional structure of the ASEAN:

The institutional structure of ASEAN is given below-

1.      The ASEAN mainly composed based on the political decision: The Basis of the ASEAN is built only by political decision, because the creation of this organization was not a legally binding treaty but only a two page political declaration.

2.      The original documents of institutional structure are really small: The original documents of institutional structure of ASEAN is really small and thin which established by an anoul meeting of foreign ministers, a standing committee composed of ambassadors of the other member countries and committees on specific subjects.

3.       No Central secretariat for rejection of formalization and institutionalization: In ASEAN no central secretariat are seen for rejection of any formalization and institutionalization. Instead, national secretariat established to service the formation of the organization. For example, due to the absence of general secretariats, files had to be shipped from one ASEAN member to another every year depending on who was holding the championships which rotates in alphabetical order.

4.      The decision making procedure is strictly intergovernmental: The decision making procedure in ASEAN is strictly intergovernmental based on consensus and consultation which know as the "ASEAN way".

5.      No mechanisms for enforcement or sanctions: In ASEAN there is no mechanism were seen for enforcement or sanctions in the event of non-compliance. The "ASEAN way" always emphasis informal diplomacy and restraint of public criticism on policies of other member States. When member States are unable to reach agreement, decisions are simply defferred.

Aim of establishing ASEAN:

The Association of South-east Asian Nations was established based on the some specific aim which make remarkable contribution to create stability of this regional organizaton and will be helpful to maintain good friendly and cooperative relationships with one another. Some of the important aim of ASEAN is given below -

1.      Protecting common interest: The first aim of ASEAN is to protect their common interest. The member states of ASEAN's States announced the readiness to promote collaboration on matters of common interest in a variety of fields. Such as economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative with the aim of accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region.

2.       Creating friendly relationship between the members of States: The important aim to create ASEAN is to promote mutual understanding and friendly relationship among the member States of the region and make enough efforts to settle any kinds of disputes peacefully.

3.      Protecting market economy system: The most remarkable purpose of creating ASEAN is to protect market economy system, because their main goal to establish strong economic situation for ensuring sustainable economic growth by promoting strong inter-govermental relationship through the free flow of raw materials, goods and services.

4.      Protecting Minority people: The ASEAN member States always very concern about protecting minority people and their culture and identity and always willing to make enough efforts to protect their basic human rights and any kinds of discrimination against them.

5.       Respect for each other sovereignty: The main aim to establish ASEAN is show respect for each other sovereignty and not interpereing the internal affairs of other States.

ASEAN approaches to conflict resolution and peace building:

As an intergovernmental institution ASEAN always played significant role in post conflict reconstruction and peace building process. For instance in 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and set up a puppet government.  1997, again in Cambodia,  a political crisis occurred when the then-second prime minister Hun sen removed the first prime minister Norodom Ranariddh from power.  For a number of years Cambodia and Thailand engaged in a border dispute Ove the Preh Vihear temple.  ASEAN succeeded to resolve these kinds of disputes peacefully. In the following I would like to introduce some important initiative of ASEAN about conflict resolution and peace building.

1.      Bali- Concord 11: The Bali concord 2, signed on 7 October 2003 was the first ASEAN document that indicated that the organization was searching for a role to play in post conflict situation.  Through the concord, the leaders of ASEAN mandated that they should find “innovative ways to increase its security and establish modalities for the ASEAN security community including in the area of post conflict peace building. (ASEAN charter 2003).In the action plan for the implementation of the Bali Concord 2, and especially its security aspects post conflict peace building was further defined as " process involving broad-based inter agency cooperation and coordination across a wide range of issues. The concord stated that this process should “create the conditions necessary for a sustainable peace in conflict-torn areas and to prevent the resurgence of conflict (ASEAN 2004). The action plan also asked members of the association to assist each other in post conflict peace building efforts. Such as humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and rehabilitation.

2.      Article 8 of ASEAN charter: There is an indication of ASEAN charter in article (8) that the charter gives ASEAN a role in post conflict peace building which mandates the organization to respond effectively in accordance with the principles of collective security, to all forms of threats, transnational crimes and transboundary challenges.

3.      ASEAN Blueprints: In order to transform the commitments in the charter into accountable agendas, ASEAN adopted blueprint.  The ASEAN Political -Security Community (APSC) Blueprint was the roadmap for ASEAN to achieve its political security goals from 2010- 2015. In this document, ASEAN makes clear commitments to a regional role in post conflict situations, and to conflict prevention, preventive diplomacy and post conflict peace building. (ASEAN 2009).

4.      Establishment of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconstruction (AIPR): An important institutional development that added to ASEAN's efforts in post conflict reconstruction was the establishment of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconstruction (AIPR) under section B2.2 of the ASEAN Blueprint, which mainly focuses on conflict resolution and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

ASEAN approach to security:

For ensuring security in Southeast Asian ASEAN took several steps which are given below-

1.      To preserve south East Asia as a nuclear weapon free zone and also free of all other weapon of mass destruction.

2.      To responds effectively in accordance to the principles of comprehensive security, to all form of threat, transnational crimes and transbiundary challenges.

                                                                                                       (ASEAN charter, 2008, p 3-4)

3.      To strengthen democracy.

4.      Enhance good governance and rule of law.

5.      Protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, with due regard to the rights and responsibilities of the member States.

                                                                                                                 (ASEAN charter p. 4.)

6.      Abstention in any policy or activity which threatens the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political and economic stability of ASEAN States.

                                                                                                               (ASEAN charter 2008, p.7)

ASEAN approaches to development:

For ensuring sustainable economic growth and development ASEAN steps are always admirable. It succeeded to find out actual solutions for attaining strong economic integrity. Some ASEAN approaches to development are given below -

1.      Create a production based single market: SEAN States created a production based single market which makes its economy very competitive and enhanced connectivity and sectoral cooperation among its members. We can see in ASEAN charter -ASEAN economy lies with " a single market and production base...in which there is free flow of goods, services and investment, facilitated movement of business persons, professionals, talent and labor, and free flow of capital.

                                                                                                (ASEAN charter, 2008, p.4)

2.      Forming ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA): Forming ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1991 was an effective approach to ASEAN economic development.  It contributed a lot for establishing good cooperative relationships among the ASEAN member states and provided opportunity for the reduction or elimination of tarifs under a common effective Preferential Tariff scheme and the removal of quantitative restrictions and other non tariff measures. It also addressed other cross-border measures, such as trade facilitation and standard harmonization.

3.      ASEAN plus 3 arrangements: For broadened cooperation on macroeconomic and financial issues ASEAN arranged "ASEAN plus3" with its Northeast Asian neighbours-- China, Japan and South Korea.

4.      Establishment of ASEAN economic community by 2015: ASEAN has announced the establishment of an economic community by 2015, consisting of a single market and production base and characteried by high competition, equitable economic development and full integration into the global economy.

5.      ASEAN economic Blueprint: The master plan for ASEAN economic development guided by establishing the ASEAN economic Blueprint was adopted in 2007. This project was led by Thailand and especially Singapore which has mainly insisted about China's economic dynamism threat for Southeast Asia.

Criticism:

ASEAN approach also criticized by some scholars. Such as-

1.      ASEAN could not make itself as regional identity instead of creating only diplomatic relationships among its members which mainly built based on the elite people concept.

2.      ASEAN member States are competitors with one another, because they produce same types of products and goods. So sometimes it can be the great cause of creating negative relationship between strong and weak state.

3.      ASEAN has lack of disputes, implementation and decision making mechanism.

4.      ASEAN way itself an obstacle for building strong regional identity, because it is run based on the some conservative concept.

5.      External interference of super power. Such as Intra-ASEAN division by influence of China and its economic dominance in Southeast Asia. US intervention for protecting ASEAN activities.

Conclusion:

In conclusion we can say that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) played a significant role of creating regional peace and development in Southeast Asia. The leaders of the ASEAN always were very concern and show their creativity and talent for promoting approaches to make up any kinds of regional challenger and disputes. They also show their keen interests to conduct friendly relationship whit one another and refrain forms interfering in each other’s internal conflict or affairs and willing to gain high integrated economic development. So we thin in near future ASEAN will be angle to become a regional power in the world and continue its activities for establishing sustainable development and durable peace.

Reference:

A.     ASEAN Secretariat (2008), The ASEAN charter, Jakarta.

B.     Explaining the failure of the ASEAN economic community: The primacy of domestic political economy by “Lee Jones”.

C.     Lee, H.L (2007) “Speech at the ASEAN Day lecture” Singapore, 7 August 2007.

D.    “ASEAN: Integration, Internal Dynamics and External Relations” by Prof. Clara PORTELA, Singapore Management University, Singapore.

E.     “Constructing a security community in Southeast Asia” by Amitav Acharya.