The Pasha

Can Diplomat avoid misinformation in Digital Era?

The telecommunication technology grows very fast. Smartphone and other digital gadget have been penetrate the society so deep as never seen in the history. Even people who live in the remote area nowadays can enjoy the service of data communication or internet. With such connectivity, information is acquired, stored, processed, managed, and shared in a way that is almost completely different from…

Cyber- or Digital- Diplomacy: Which one Indonesian MoFA should choose?

The development of technology flies very fast. The wireless communication through cellular phone and other digital gadget have been penetrate so deep as never seen in the history. Even people who live in the remote area nowadays can enjoy the service of telecommunication. With such connectivity, information is acquired, stored, processed, managed, and shared in a way that is almost completely…

Is Ocean the new horizon of Indonesian Foreign policy?

  In 1963, the First President of Indonesia, Soekano, in his opening speech in First Indonesian Maritime Conference, ask to all Indonesian to be a maritime nation as had been performed by Indonesian ancestors. He said, a country which its people just living quietly in slopes of mountains cannot be strong; so that if Indonesia want to be a strong country, it must be “married” with oceans. This…

Indonesian Agricultural Commodities: Is it real threat to SDG’s?

Nowadays Indonesian export of agricultural commodities, especially the producs of plantations, has a big challenge. Negative campaign on palm oil is one example of that challenge. The campaign, direct or indirectly, accused that the development of agricultural sector in indonesia is not environment-friendly. The development is not comply with the 2030’s SDGs. Even European Union lawmakers had a…

Anti-Corruption Diplomacy: Relevant or Ilusion

So many news on corruption cases in mass media nowadays has given a perception that Indonesia is being wrapped up by a very severe corruption problem. This perception can be counterproductive with all government effort to attract more business with Indonesia. Eventhough this issue is not a big deal in goverment-to-goverment ties, but foreign investors and international businesses will calculate…

In January 2018, Indonesian Foreign Minister in her Annual Ministerial Press Statement, said that one of the priority of Indonesian foreign policy is strengthening ASEAN unity and centrality. Indonesia will encourage ASEAN to be active in the discussion of bolstering regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific region. In the same Statement, the Minister also show the achievement by Indonesia to maintain the peace and increase cooperation in the region. (watch https://youtu.be/HoDW2OGiHrA) All facts and information delivered actually to inform public what Kemlu effort to reach its strategic goal. One of the ministry’s goal which written in Strategic Plan of Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2015-2019 is improve domestic readiness and improve the role (contribution) and Indonesian leadership in ASEAN.

Those strategic map require a leadership model of Indonesia in maintaining peace, including in the region through ASEAN. Let's try to find which ethic approach can be used to justify this Indonesian position.

First of all, we should know what ethics is, At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. They affect how people make decisions and lead their lives. Ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is also described as moral philosophy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml)

Ethics is usually divided intro elements: metaethics, normative ethics. Metaethics is the study of the origin and meaning of ethical concepts. In other hand, Normative ethics involves arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. Two of strategies will be noted here: duty theories and consequentialist theories.

Duty theories base morality on specific, foundational principles of obligation. These theories are sometimes called deontological or nonqonsequentalist.There are four central duty theories. The first is classified dozens of duties under three headings: duties to God, duties to oneself, and duties to others. The second duty-based approach to ethics is rights theory, which rights and duties are related in such a way that the rights of one person implies the duties of another person. A third duty-based theory is that by Kant, who agreed that we have moral duties to oneself and others, such as developing one's talents and keeping promises to others. A fourth duty-based theory argues that our duties are "part of the fundamental nature of the universe." (prima facie).

Contrast to duty theories, consequentalist theory says that correct moral conduct is determined solely by a cost-benefit analysis of an action's consequences. An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable. This theories has three subdivision: (1) Ethical Egoism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable only to the agent performing the action; (2) Ethical Altruism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone except the agent; (3)Utilitarianism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone.

People are mostly has different knowledge on ethics compare with ideas mentioned above. The term ethics which common in our society is refered to applied ethics. Applied ethics is the branch of ethics which consists of the analysis of specific and/or controversial moral issues such as abortion, racism, animal rights, or extramarital affairs . There are two things should be considered on applied ethics: First, the issue needs to be controversial in the sense that there are significant groups of people both for and against the issue. The second is that it must be a distinctly moral issue.

Now, let’s see, what ethics can be use to justify ministry claim to be leader in ASEAN. First, we can say its an duty ethics. This theory says there are three absolute duties which are universally binding on people: avoid wronging others, treat people as equals, and promote the good of others.

Second, people can say that peace in the region give happiness to all. If Indonesia want to share this happiness to the people in ASEAN, it means it in line with idea of Utilitarianism. Since materializing peace is not a short time act, so that we cannot categorize Indonesian leadership as based on act-utilitarianism , but close to rule-utilitarianism. According to rule-utilitarianism, a behavioral code or rule is morally right if the consequences of adopting that rule are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone. But according to act-utilitarianism, specific acts that looks bad or wrong would be morally permissible if the social benefit of these actions outweighed the disbenefit. So that, if peace is good and leadership is good, why not Indonesia take a lead in building peace in the region.

If we use the applied ethics to justify the claim, there are several principles should be considered: Personal benefit, Social benefit, Principle of benevolence, Principle of paternalism, Principle of harm, Principle of honesty, Principle of lawfulness, Principle of autonomy, Principle of justice, Rights.The above principles represent a spectrum of normative principles and are derived from both consequentialist and duty-based approaches.

On 25 August, a group called Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) launched coordinated attacks on security installations, in northern Rakhine, Myanmar.  The attack targeted police stations, border posts, and a military base. It took more than 100 lives, including militants, security personnel, and civilians. In response, state security forces (SF) have launched ‘clearance operations’ to neutralize militants and recapture seized weapons and territory. However, the campaign has been marred by allegations of use of excessive force. That condition forced  more Rohingyas fleeing to neighboring countries. Around a million Rohingya nowadays live in very poor condition in refugee camps in Bangladesh and in other neighboring countries.

This humanitarian crisis needs a comprehensive solution which hopefully can be accepted by all parties to terminate the violence in Rakhine State. But the most important right now is to find immediate way out to support the life of the refugees. In this condition, Indonesia can play a role to help all parties to establish a more peaceful situation.

Discrimination against the Rohingya goes back to the government of Ne Win,  which declared them foreigners in 1982. Although the Myanmar government has exhibited signs of reform since 2011,  discrimination and persecution of the Muslim group by the  authorities continues. Given the long-standing tensions between Myanmar’s majority and the country’s numerous minorities, some reforms have proven a two-edged sword. The Rohingya, as one minorities who live in Rakhine State, are denied not only Myanmar's citizenship, but are not even recognized as an ethnic group. Persecution of the Rohingya in particular has clearly been exacerbated by the increased freedom of expression and the media, and the public space available for nationalist and even outright racist organizations.

The refusal of Myanmar government to recognize Rohinya as citizen is reasonable. It is related its territory and sovereignty. According to the state’s 1982 citizenship law, if the government accepts the Rohingyas as a legitimate ethnicity, they will have autonomy in Rakhine, where they are the majority. Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country, fears three potential developments: 1) an alliance between the Rohingyas and Bengalis, both of whom are Muslim, 2) calls for secession that may follow an alliance, and 3) the ARSA entrenchment in Rakhine.  That fear also has fueled the action taken by security forces to face the Rohingyas. Reports indicated that Myanmar Security Forces had been treating the entire Rohingya population as one insurgent collective, having adopted a scorched-earth policy, including burning of Rohingya settlements, rather than targeted counterinsurgency measures based on specific intelligence.

In this condition, it is fair to say that violence will endure as long as Myanmar continues to operate without a larger political strategy. The current strategy could trigger a bigger humanitarian crisis in the region. The same strategy can also create newer political opportunities for ARSA to operate, survive, and grow. If  this condition happened, the “foreign powers” such as ISIS or al-Qaeda, will support ARSA. It really can disturb the peace building process in the region, especially among ASEAN Countries.

There are some alternatives for Indonesia in facing the problem: First, Indonesia accused government of Myanmar of having large-scale humanitarian crisis. This position will give a “back wind” for Indonesian government domestically, partially from hard-liner Islamist, but it contribute nothing to the crisis. In other words, the goodwill of Myanmar Government is the key to solve the problem, so that her dignity should be maintained in one side and the other side  the Rohingya’s can back to their normal life.

Second, Indonesia can contribute to assist the refugee. Indonesia has already sent humanitarian assistant packages to refugees in Bangladesh. Indonesia has shown its commitment to assist Myanmar coping this problem by collaborating with other ASEAN member state and stakeholders to establish mechanisms for the welfare of refugees.ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Centre also participates in this relief operations.This action gains positive response in Indonesia, but assisting refugee has limitation, in term of time and logistics. It is just a temporary action, so that need a permanet solution for the problem.

Third, Indonesia can take a lead to talk to Myanmar government since among ASEAN member state Indonesia is still a well-received country regarding this problem.. Eventhough the radical  change on citizenship status of the Rohingya looks far from horizon, but the government of Myanmar should take immediate steps to clarify and reduce tension and built reconciliation in the Rakhine State. Communities in that area and also in other part of Myanmar should try to grow a new trust to establish peace there.