SOVEREIGNTY, GLOBAL NORMS AND SECURITY COOPERATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Abstract

Discussions on cooperative security strategies in Southeast Asia often mention potential threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, terrorism, island disputes and even the security concerns posed by natural disasters. The aforementioned threats are mutual, between not only the ten ASEAN countries but also neighbors, such as Australia and Timor Leste, along with rising and global powers such as China and the United States. However, developing security cooperation even against mutual threats is hindered not only by geographic and monetary restraints but by differences in national ideology, national interests, differing historical perspectives, divergent legal opinions as well as intentional and unintentional misinformation. Using the perspective of a multi-discipline approach to international relations realism and the security dilemma along with highlighting the sources of miscommunication that hinder long-term security cooperation, this paper argues that Indonesia and the US have incorrect and sometimes dangerous perceptions of the other. Differing concepts on national sovereignty, interpretations of international law and the degradation of the rules-based order are all easily manipulated to fuel dangerous misperceptions. Cooperation and sovereignty seem more at odds than ever before. But military cooperation can still be successful using honest assessments that avoid false information and instead pursue sincere engagements.