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We always focus on policies regardless of who holds power: CSIS executive director
Domestically the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) continues to command respect from political and economic establishments as indicated by political party leaders taking turns to deliver major speeches in the lead up to its golden jubilee on Wednesday.
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Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) executive director Philips J. Vermonte (left), deputy executive director Medelina K. Hendytio (second left), politics and international relations department head Vidhyandika Djati Perkasa (second right) and politics and international relations department researcher Tobias Basuki share their insights during a conference titled “Indonesia’s Economic and Politics’ Prospects 2017” in Jakarta, on Jan. 11, 2017. (Courtesy of CSIS/File)
F
em>Fifty years is a long time and for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) this means it has had to survive two massive political upheavals in the country, weather socio-economic changes and even intra-elite rivalries. Yet, the CSIS remains intact and in fact in the past 20 years, its reputation has only grown and it has become one of the small number of think tank organizations from Indonesia that have gained regional and international recognition. Earlier this year, the CSIS was ranked number two in the list of best think tanks in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Domestically it continues to command respect among the political and economic establishment as indicated by political party leaders taking turns to deliver major speeches in events organized by the CSIS in the lead up to its golden jubilee today. The Jakarta Post spoke with CSIS executive director Philips Jusario Vermonte, who has been at the helm of the organization since 2016, about what the think tank has achieved so far and what is on the road ahead.
Question: After 50 years, what do you think is the CSIS’ greatest contribution to the country’s politics or political discourse?
Answer: The CSIS is a policy-oriented research institution. As such, the CSIS has been active in providing policy suggestions on issues that we think are important for Indonesia, especially issues related to economic and political development, as well as strategic and international issues.
As a think tank, in international forums the CSIS is involved in what is known as track-two diplomacy, which is essentially dialogue among academics, researchers and think-tankers in the Southeast Asian region and beyond. Track-two diplomacy enables us to have frank exchanges of ideas on issues that would be considered sensitive to governments yet important for achieving peace and stability. Some of these track-two initiatives in which the CSIS has been actively involved, have then been adopted by governments and adopted into the establishment of regional organizational frameworks.
To give two examples, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) a think tank network in the Asia Pacific, is known as the intellectual platform through which the idea of creating APEC was initiated. The ASEAN Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS), which is a network of think tanks in Southeast Asia of which the CSIS was a founder, played a somewhat similar role in the establishment of the ARF.
But, for sure the CSIS did these with partners and friends, and other like-minded institutions.
Domestically, the CSIS has been doing the same thing. We have the luxury of long years of experience in policy research and policy advocacy. In addition, throughout the years we have accumulated and expanded our network.
