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President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that the sources of conflicts around the world had changed and multiplied, requiring a new approach revolving around partnerships and mutual cooperation to address them.

Speaking while opening the first Jakarta International Defense Dialogue, Yudhoyono said the sources of conflicts around the world were no longer confined to ideological differences, territorial and border disputes or fighting off secessionist rebellions.

The emergence of new conflicts meant the world needed “to be more creative in the use of our diplomatic tools.”

“We need to strengthen multilateral as well as regional security cooperation. We need to promote closer cooperation between our militaries and our intelligence. We also need to enhance people-to-people contact, because this leads to better understanding between nations and reduces the space for a clash of nationalism,” the president said.

Yudhoyono said that beside rising intra-state conflicts and persistent acts of terrorism, the world was seeing newer sources of conflicts.

He cited conflict and violence arising from differences over identities and beliefs.

“We are seeing cases where disputes between religious groups can turn harmonious communities into sworn enemies overnight, and we are seeing rising cases of intolerance in many parts of the developed and developing world,” he said.

Indonesia has seen its own share of rising religious violence, particularly against the minority Ahmadiyah sect. The latest fatal assault on the community in Cikeusik, Banten, in February, left three Ahmadis brutally killed.

Yudhoyono said a lack of governance could lead to social and economic deprivation, create political resentment and in turn fuel conflicts. Another source of conflict is “resources competition,” where a mismatch exists between growing populations and declining basic life supplies available to them.

“Next year, the world’s population will reach seven billion people, and this will rise to nine billion in 2045. There is absolutely no certainty that we will have enough food, energy and water to provide for them,” he said.

In the 21st century, he said, non-state actors, including the media, civil society, NGOs, companies and individuals, will assume much greater roles, changing the strategic landscape.

“A small group of people at WikiLeaks with an anti-establishment agenda, for example, have caused serious difficulties to governments across the world, with all its attendant political and security implications,” he said.

Last month, Indonesia suffered such difficulties after several US embassy cables on the country were leaked to the press. In some, doubts were cast on Yudhoyono’s anti-corruption credentials.

The president said efforts were needed to nurture stable relations among the major powers and harness cooperation between the major nations and the emerging powers.

“Now is the time for us to evolve a new culture of peace, revolved around partnerships and cooperation, and a win-win world outlook,” he said.

The art and practice of preventive diplomacy needed to be further developed, he said, adding that preventing conflict is always better than addressing it.

Also needed were efforts to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, and respect for international law. He said nations should work together to deradicalize extremist groups and terrorist cells, while addressing some of radicalism’s root causes, such as poverty and marginalization.

“We can promote better education for our people so nations can embrace open, moderate, enlightened forms of nationalism — not arrogant nationalism and fanaticism that for ages has pitted nations against one another.

“Every conflict ... can be resolved. You just need the right combination of evolving circumstances, shifting interests, creativity, timing and luck,” he said.

To maintain peace, there was also the need to continuously reform global governance, he said, adding that “the United Nations Security Council still reflects a post-World War II picture.”
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