Experts laud Yudhoyono's speech, reminds him to be true to his words

Experts lauded President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's keynote speech at the opening of the Jakarta International Defense Dialog, but they also reminded the President to be consistent in his actions.
    
In his speech, Yudhoyono said that the notion of human security is gaining ground around the world and that a number of factors outside the state and the military, including food supply and climate change, have security implications.

Human security can be roughly defined as a wider definition of security encompassing areas such as democracy, education and food security.

“What Pak SBY (Yudhoyono) conveyed shows that Indonesia is becoming more aware, that orientation toward state security will not give a long-term solution because the root of international security problems is not at the state level but at the human level,” Mutiara Pertiwi, a lecturer from the Faculty of Social and Political Science of the State Islamic University (UIN), said.

She added that what was needed was approaches to support social justice and economic justice.

International Indonesian Scientists Association chairman Nasir Tamara said: “What Yudhoyono said is correct in some points. A lot of nations are not ready to face [international security challenges] … many of them do not understand how to manage non-military threats.”

Mutiara said that despite the shifting paradigm, the world was still built on the “state-centric paradigm.”

“To fight for a better and just world will always be a challenge. If SBY is consistent, he will prove that rhetoric is different from action. Of course, [the speech] gives a new promise to the people of Indonesia and the international society ... the pragmatic way would be to sacrifice human security. But would not making it a priority be supported by relevant reasons?” she said.

Nasir also concurred with Yudhoyono's opinion that the future might not be laden with mammoth wars such as World War I and II.

However, he reminded that despite the apparent positive role of regional cooperation as cited by the President, some interstate organizations might not be able to prevent conflicts.

Yudhoyono in his speech pointed out the strengthening trend of regionalism, which he saw as a positive force in achieving international peace.