Politics of Anti‐Terrorism Policy in Southeast Asia: A Comparative Study of the Philippines and Indonesia

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the current status of terrorism and the process of promoting anti‐terrorism policies in Southeast Asia, and to search for fundamental differences manifested in diverse policies of the countries in the region. Amidst the growing fear of terrorism in the international community, this research particularly focuses on the comparison of the terrorism situations and anti‐terrorism policies in the Philippines and Indonesia. The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 was a moment that triggered a worldwide international anti‐terrorism cooperation in response to the increasing terrorist threat. In Southeast Asia, however, policies and measures to prevent terror, initiated by the ASEAN, were relatively weak. In particular, the Philippines and Indonesia – which both held presidential elections in 2004 – sought different policy lines due to the different domestic situations and dynamics of political relations, in spite of an equal amount of pressure from the international community. In the Philippines, the Muslim minority‐group‐led separatist movement and armed combats were regarded as threatening elements that caused nation‐wide political unrest. Moreover, strong support on anti‐terrorism in cooperation with the USA operated as a tool that consolidated the political status of the Arroyo administration. Meanwhile, an Islam‐oriented Indonesia interpreted international pressure for strong anti‐terrorism policies as suppression of Islam, and Indonesia faced strong resistance from domestic opposition parties and Islamic political groups, which in turn resulted in a relatively ambiguous anti‐terrorism policy.