Indonesia needs to address underlying issues such as poverty and lack of education to prevent radicalization and recruitment of terrorists

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 78 views

The Role of Indonesia in Creating National and Regional Stability Amidst the Threat of Terrorism: A 2015 ASEAN Community Case Study

Introduction

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an international organization formed by countries in Southeast Asia, with a common goal to build regional security under the umbrella of cooperation between members. However, globalization brings new problems, one of which is terrorism. The 9/11 tragedy marks the emergence of terrorism as a significant global threat, and this threat continues to grow rapidly. To face this threat, every country requires an effective solution. International organizations such as ASEAN play an important role in formulating regional policies to overcome terrorism.

Indonesia, as a big country in ASEAN and leaders in the organization, has a big responsibility in answering this challenge. To overcome the problem of terrorism globally, the leaders of ASEAN countries sparked the idea of the ASEAN Security Community. This idea aims to provide practical and sustainable solutions to face the threat of terrorism in the future. The success of the ASEAN Security Community depends on the same understanding, vision, and action of all ASEAN members.

Indonesia itself has faced several cases of bombs and acts of terror from 2003 to 2010. Terrorism is not a problem that can be resolved instantly, even tends to increase because terrorism has a systematic network that spreads throughout Asia.

In this context, this article will analyze the role of Indonesia in the ASEAN Community, identify challenges in realizing national and regional stability in the midst of the threat of terrorism, and discussing Indonesia's strategy in overcoming this threat.

Indonesia's Challenges and Strategies in Dealing with Terrorism

Indonesia faces several challenges in creating national and regional stability amidst the threat of terrorism:

Preventing Radicalism and Recruitment of Terrorists

Indonesia faces challenges in preventing radicalism and terrorist recruitment, especially among young people. This is caused by factors such as poverty, lack of education, and the influence of extremist ideology. The Indonesian government needs to address these underlying issues to prevent radicalization and recruitment of terrorists.

Terrorist Network

Terrorist networks operate transnationally, making it difficult to trace and stop. Indonesia must collaborate with other ASEAN countries and international organizations to break terrorist networks and prevent their movements. Indonesia needs to improve its intelligence gathering and sharing capabilities to effectively combat terrorist networks.

Handling Cyber Terrorism

The threat of cyber terrorism is increasing. Indonesia must improve its ability to overcome cyber attacks and protect critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks. Indonesia needs to invest in cybersecurity measures and develop a robust response to cyber attacks.

Building Community Resilience

Community resilience to terrorism is very important. The Indonesian government needs to increase public awareness about the threat of terrorism, encourage community participation in the deradicalization program, and build an early warning system to prevent terrorist attacks. Indonesia needs to engage with local communities to build trust and promote resilience against terrorism.

Indonesia's Role in the 2015 ASEAN Community

As one of the founding countries of ASEAN, Indonesia plays an active role in building regional stability through the 2015 ASEAN Community. In an effort to overcome terrorism, Indonesia has an important role in:

Encouraging Regional Cooperation

Indonesia plays an active role in encouraging regional cooperation in combating terrorism through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and various other forums. Indonesia encourages sharing intelligence information, coordination of operations, and joint training to improve the ability of ASEAN countries to fight terrorism. Indonesia needs to lead regional cooperation efforts to effectively combat terrorism.

Building Dialogue and Understanding between Cultures

Indonesia emphasizes the importance of inter-cultural and religious dialogue to build understanding and tolerance among the ASEAN community. Indonesia also encourages deradicalization programs to overcome the influence of extremist ideology. Indonesia needs to promote cultural understanding and tolerance to prevent radicalization.

Strengthening Economic Cooperation

Indonesia recognizes that inclusive economic development is a key to reducing poverty and preventing radicalism. Indonesia actively promotes economic cooperation among ASEAN countries to improve the well-being of the people and reduce social inequality that can be a factor in terrorism. Indonesia needs to promote economic cooperation to reduce poverty and prevent radicalism.

Conclusion

Indonesia has a strategic role in creating national and regional stability in dealing with the threat of terrorism. Through its active role in the 2015 ASEAN Community, Indonesia has shown its commitment to fight terrorism and build regional security. Challenges in dealing with terrorism require joint efforts from all ASEAN members. The success of ASEAN in fighting terrorism will depend on close cooperation, effective coordination, and joint commitment to create regional security and stability.

Recommendations

Based on the analysis, the following recommendations are made:

Indonesia needs to address underlying issues such as poverty and lack of education to prevent radicalization and recruitment of terrorists.
Indonesia needs to improve its intelligence gathering and sharing capabilities to effectively combat terrorist networks.
Indonesia needs to invest in cybersecurity measures and develop a robust response to cyber attacks.
Indonesia needs to engage with local communities to build trust and promote resilience against terrorism.
Indonesia needs to lead regional cooperation efforts to effectively combat terrorism.
Indonesia needs to promote cultural understanding and tolerance to prevent radicalization.
Indonesia needs to promote economic cooperation to reduce poverty and prevent radicalism.

By implementing these recommendations, Indonesia can play a more effective role in creating national and regional stability amidst the threat of terrorism.
Frequently Asked Questions: Indonesia's Role in Creating National and Regional Stability Amidst the Threat of Terrorism

Introduction

The threat of terrorism is a significant challenge facing Indonesia and the ASEAN region. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about Indonesia's role in creating national and regional stability amidst the threat of terrorism.

Q1: What is the role of Indonesia in the ASEAN Community in dealing with terrorism?

A1: Indonesia plays a strategic role in creating national and regional stability in dealing with the threat of terrorism. As one of the founding countries of ASEAN, Indonesia has a big responsibility in answering this challenge. Indonesia has an important role in encouraging regional cooperation in combating terrorism, building dialogue and understanding between cultures, and strengthening economic cooperation.

Q2: What are the challenges faced by Indonesia in dealing with terrorism?

A2: Indonesia faces several challenges in dealing with terrorism, including preventing radicalism and recruitment of terrorists, terrorist networks, handling cyber terrorism, and building community resilience. These challenges require joint efforts from all ASEAN members to effectively combat terrorism.

Q3: How does Indonesia prevent radicalism and recruitment of terrorists?

A3: Indonesia addresses underlying issues such as poverty and lack of education to prevent radicalization and recruitment of terrorists. The Indonesian government also increases public awareness about the threat of terrorism, encourages community participation in the deradicalization program, and builds an early warning system to prevent terrorist attacks.

Q4: How does Indonesia handle terrorist networks?

A4: Indonesia collaborates with other ASEAN countries and international organizations to break terrorist networks and prevent their movements. Indonesia also improves its intelligence gathering and sharing capabilities to effectively combat terrorist networks.

Q5: How does Indonesia handle cyber terrorism?

A5: Indonesia invests in cybersecurity measures and develops a robust response to cyber attacks. Indonesia also improves its ability to overcome cyber attacks and protect critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks.

Q6: What is the importance of community resilience in dealing with terrorism?

A6: Community resilience to terrorism is very important. Indonesia needs to engage with local communities to build trust and promote resilience against terrorism. This includes increasing public awareness about the threat of terrorism, encouraging community participation in the deradicalization program, and building an early warning system to prevent terrorist attacks.

Q7: How does Indonesia promote cultural understanding and tolerance to prevent radicalization?

A7: Indonesia emphasizes the importance of inter-cultural and religious dialogue to build understanding and tolerance among the ASEAN community. Indonesia also encourages deradicalization programs to overcome the influence of extremist ideology.

Q8: What is the role of economic cooperation in preventing terrorism?

A8: Indonesia recognizes that inclusive economic development is a key to reducing poverty and preventing radicalism. Indonesia actively promotes economic cooperation among ASEAN countries to improve the well-being of the people and reduce social inequality that can be a factor in terrorism.

Q9: How does Indonesia lead regional cooperation efforts to effectively combat terrorism?

A9: Indonesia plays an active role in encouraging regional cooperation in combating terrorism through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and various other forums. Indonesia encourages sharing intelligence information, coordination of operations, and joint training to improve the ability of ASEAN countries to fight terrorism.

Q10: What is the future of Indonesia's role in creating national and regional stability amidst the threat of terrorism?

A10: Indonesia has a strategic role in creating national and regional stability in dealing with the threat of terrorism. Through its active role in the 2015 ASEAN Community, Indonesia has shown its commitment to fight terrorism and build regional security. Challenges in dealing with terrorism require joint efforts from all ASEAN members. The success of ASEAN in fighting terrorism will depend on close cooperation, effective coordination, and joint commitment to create regional security and stability.

Conclusion

Indonesia plays a significant role in creating national and regional stability amidst the threat of terrorism. Through its active role in the 2015 ASEAN Community, Indonesia has shown its commitment to fight terrorism and build regional security. Challenges in dealing with terrorism require joint efforts from all ASEAN members. The success of ASEAN in fighting terrorism will depend on close cooperation, effective coordination, and joint commitment to create regional security and stability.