SAJC H2 History Paper 2 2023 Interstate Tensions Notes

Paper 2: Developments in Southeast Asia (Independence – 2000) Theme III: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation 1 SAJC/History Department/SEA/JC1/Theme 3: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation /Lt8/2024/ INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Lecture 8: Inter-state Tensions and Cooperation SAJC History Unit, 2024 1. Introduction 2. Case Study 1 – The Water Dispute (Singapore -Malaysia Relations) 3. Case Study 2 – Dispute over Sabah (Malaysia -Philippines Relations) 4. Case Study 3 – Konfrontasi (Malaysia-Indonesia Relations) 5. Case Study 4 – Dispute over Preah Vihear (Thailand - Cambodia Relations) 6. Case Study 5 – Third Indochina War (Vietnam -Cambodia Relations)

Paper 2: Developments in Southeast Asia (Independence – 2000) Theme III: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation 2 SAJC/History Department/SEA/JC1/Theme 3: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation /Lt8/2024/ INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY 1. Introduction • Security analysts have come to perceive that some sort of security community now exists in SEA. ASEAN’s growing political cohesion is evidenced by its success in leading an anti - Vietnam coalition in the UN during the Cambodian Crisis, by the establishment of an ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and by its prominent role in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). • However, this does not in any way imply that inter-state tensions, and historical, racial and religious animosities that characterised member states’ relations in the early days of their independence in the 1960s -70s no longer matter with the success of ASEAN regional cooperation. In actual fact, such inter -state dynamics affect inter -state relations continue to underl ie relations between member -states. It has also placed serious constraints on the development of an ASEAN security and economic community along the lines of the European community. • Indeed, in the words of then Singapore Foreign Minister Wong Kan Seng in 1990, “The prime reason for conflict in SEA was never superpower intervention but local rivalries that had their root causes in historical animosities, racial and religious divisions or competition for influence and resources.” 1.1 Main Themes to be Discussed • Two main areas of focus: o Causes of interstate conflicts - Historical animosities, racial and religious divisions, ideological differences and territorial disputes. o Consequences of interstate conflicts - Mutual suspicion and hostility, impact on regional cooperation, constraints on cooperative regionalism etc. - More importantly we will be specifically evaluating the successes and limitations of ASEAN as a resolution dispute mechanism through its many efforts and policies such as its predecessors (ASA and MAPHILINDO), ZOPFAN, Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, ARF and the idea of ASEAN as a security community. - The only instance of UN intervention in SEA interstate disputes would be during the Cambodian Crisis.

Paper 2: Developments in Southeast Asia (Independence – 2000) Theme III: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation 3 SAJC/History Department/SEA/JC1/Theme 3: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation /Lt8/2024/ INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY 1.2 Difference between interstate tensions and interstate conflicts • Inter-state tensions refer to latent hostility or opposition between sovereign states. Inter - state tensions often arise when states are locked in a relationship of mutual distrust. o Eg: Following Singapore’s separation from Malaysia in 1965, relations between the two states were fraught with tension. Each suspected possible subversion by the other in its respective domestic affairs. • Inter-state conflicts are overt expressions of hostility and opposition between independent states. They are manifestations of inter-state tensions. Inter-state conflicts can take the form of actual physical combat, economic embargoes, diplomatic boycotts and incendiary exchanges between states. o Eg: The visit of the Israeli president to Singapore, for instance, was met with adverse comment in Malaysia, with one p olitical representative verbally accusing the PAP leadership of chauvinism. This brought about a flurry of heated diplomatic exchanges between the two neighbours. 1.3 Security Complexes • What motivates SEA states to behave as they did that would eventually cause bilateral disputes? Conventional scholarship credits SEA with having 2 different security complexes which determine how states relate to each other . Security complexes refer to the ir determination of power hierarchy and perception of threats. These are derived from geographical proximity, historical interactions, ethnicity/religious issues and irredentist behaviour. • Malay Archipelago Complex (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei) o Refers to maritime SEA, where Indonesia is the dominant and hegemonic power . A strong sense of proprietary entitlement to order inter-state relations characterised Indonesian foreign policy output in the post-independence years. o Examples of Indonesia attempting to impose its will on the region would be Indonesian agitation for a North Kalimantan Federation that sought to integrate the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak and its policy of military confrontation against Malaysia. o Singapore, which separated from Malaysia in 1965, had anxieties regarding both Indonesia and Malaysia. o Brunei, which benefited from British protectorate status till 1984 was somewhat insulated from such anxieties while Philippines, with a large US military presence till 1991 was also excluded from the dynamics of the Malay Archipelago Complex.

Paper 2: Developments in Southeast Asia (Independence – 2000) Theme III: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation 4 SAJC/History Department/SEA/JC1/Theme 3: Regional Conflicts and Cooperation /Lt8/2024/ INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY o Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia form the geostrategic core of ASEAN and the health of their bilateral relationships is crucial to the association’s future and by implication, the future development of cooperative regionalism. • Indochina Security Complex (Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma) o Main power play is between Thailand and Vietnam. In this complex, Vietnam is the dominant power with hegemonic ambitions w hile Thailand is the medium power that deflected the Vietnamese threat. o The small states of Laos and Cambodia traditionally had their political fortunes determined by Vietnam and/or Thailand. After the communist victory of 1975, Laos and Cambodia gravitated towards Vietnam except for a brief period when Cambodia was ruled by the Khmer Rouge. o Burma, owing to its self -imposed isolationism, effectively remained outside the workings of the Indochina security complex. 1.4 Key arguments/issues of contention • Bilateral issues and tensions resulting in mutual suspicions/mistrust have been the underlying causes for intra-ASEAN friction which has inhibited the association’s ability to manage the regional environment. • In fact, ASEAN as an organisation is very much aware of this impediment and has consciously steered clear of security issues after its formation in 1967. While there are successes like the resolution of the Cambodian crisis, limited regional economic cooperation and the beginnings of a re gional security dialogue under ARF, it is implicit that the effectiveness of these initiatives or cooperation is premised on concerted avoidance of latent and existing interstate disputes. • It is also observed that the ASEAN member states themselves seldom make use of mediation provisions and dispute settlement mechanisms under ASEAN. They prefer bilateralism as the means to resolve disputes. • Another peculiar trend observed is that management of foreign relations and especially in resolving interstate disp utes is very much personalised. ASEAN was founded by a small e