STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT- Jakarta.According to a 2021 survey by the Lowy Institute, Indonesians trust the government and experts more than media organizations. The author argues that published opinions of Indonesia’s international relations experts and practitioners are among the factors that drive pro-Russian sentiment in Indonesia.
Most commentary by Indonesian academics and former diplomats focus on aspects of the war related to great power politics, portraying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a result of conflict between Russia and the west – the United States and its NATO allies. Unfortunately, only few experts have mentioned the refugee crisis, or explained the Ukrainian and other small-states’ perspectives.
Ambassador Havas Oegroseno’s latest article criticizing Indonesian officials’ and experts’ positions is like an oasis in the desert. The heavily criticized article by leading American neorealist John Mearsheimer that criticized the west for provoking Russia is very popular with many Indonesian experts, who use Mearsheimer’s flawed logic to explain what happened in Ukraine in terms of NATO’s eastward expansion. This has led to severely misguided policy proposals for peace. Indonesia lacks Russian and East European studies experts. Currently, only two Indonesian universities offer Russian studies.
This has made Indonesian experts susceptible to disinformation campaigns by Russia. Indonesian international relations experts also often focus on the country’s self-image as an essential global player, while neglecting the views of the victims.
Aspiring to be a great power and being the largest economy in Southeast Asia, people in Indonesia may find it difficult to understand the perspective of small nations and their fears of neighboring large states with imperial ambition. Experts and intellectuals should educate the public about the actual situation in Ukraine, especially when the Indonesian government is hesitant and cautious. Op-eds focusing on the humanitarian aspects of war, such as the Russian military’s atrocities and the impact of the refugee crisis, should be prioritized.
Even if experts want to be neutral and objective, experts have a moral responsibility to tell the truth about the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and clearly state our moral position by openly condemning Russian atrocities. At this moment, staying neutral and silent would mean indirectly supporting the Russian aggression and humanitarian atrocities in Ukraine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday said the country’s G20 presidency faces severe challenges. From initially “just” guiding the global economy to recover following the pandemic’s collapse, this “job” has grown and become more complex as a result of Russia’s military action in Ukraine. According to Retno, in this difficult position, openness, transparency, and a free and active foreign policy are tools for Indonesia to foster recovery. She went on to say that the instrument is not only intended to respond to the most recent difficulties, such as war, but also to the escalating economic crisis.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Hamianin talked about the conditions in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. He said he always feels worried when he wakes up and reads news about current conditions in Ukraine. “Many of my friends, families, and colleagues are at risk,” he said. A report by the the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights that day said 2,224 people, 174 of whom were children, had died because of Russian military strikes.
More than 2,800 people were injured. He said the Ukrainian people and military have continued to resist Russian aggression. He said the destruction and sinking of the Russian warship Moskva in the Black Sea is an important symbol of victory for Ukraine, noting that the ship was Russia’s largest battleship.
Regarding his expectations for Indonesia, Hamianin said that he could neither offer advice nor patronize the Indonesian government because policymaking is totally in the hands of sovereign country.
He expressed hope that Indonesia will provide more supports, condemning not only the war, but also the Russian government as the aggressor. He hopes that Indonesia will take actions to put sanctions on Russia’s economy, such as ceasing to buy oil and gas, import goods, and make trade payments to Russia.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Harmianin on Thursday invited Indonesia and the international community to end the blockade of various exports from Ukraine to world markets. Vasyl said the blockade had global impacts because Kiev was an important supplier of a number of global commodities.
The ambassador said millions of tons of wheat seeds and various other foodstuffs could not leave Ukraine as Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov and Black Sea have been unusable since the Russian invasion began on February 24. These obstacles have not only made it difficult for Ukraine–a major supplier of wheat, sunflower oil and fertilizers– to do exports, but also affected the supplies to global markets.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov claimed on Wednesday that Russia had destroyed a number of western aid weapons sent to Ukraine on the same day. The sea-launched Kalibr cruise missile hit a warehouse in Zaporizhzhya that stores weapons from the U.S. and European countries.
In a speech delivered before the Russian Parliament on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised that the objectives of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine would be met unconditionally. Putin also assured Parliament that Russia had prevented the economic collapse due to the illegal sanctions imposed by the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a speech to Russian lawmakers on Wednesday, said he would respond to those who intervened in the attack on Ukraine. Putin said Russia would respond quickly to a retaliatory strike.
The clash of online opinions surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reveals support for pro-Russia, pro-Putin narratives in Southeast Asia. Untangling why such rhetoric is attractive points to deep dissatisfaction with the existing liberal international order. Southeast Asia can play a part in helping the world avoid worse alternatives.
More than a few commentators have puzzled over the strong resonance of pro-Russia, pro-Putin narratives in Southeast Asia, despite the still unfolding horrors of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Some common threads in the analyses on netizen responses to the war in Ukraine in Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and
Certainly, some researchers have found indicators to suggest that this is indeed the case. But it is too simplistic to credit such sentiments to nefarious disinformation operations alone. There is a genuine undercurrent of discontent within Asia and elsewhere into which these narratives have tapped. The simple fact is that the liberal international order is broken. More disconcertingly, it has taken an illiberal turn which has become more apparent as it becomes increasingly intolerant of alternative perspectives.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the war in Ukraine has worsened problems in the Western Hemisphere caused by the coronavirus pandemic, such as rising poverty. Concerns about the war decreasing the availability of food and increasing prices have sparked fears of increasing hunger and starvation in other nations.
Blinken told the annual Conference of the Americas Luncheon on Tuesday that the effects of the war are being felt after the pandemic inflicted “massive economic harm throughout the region.” Blinken plans to chair two United Nations meetings later this month aimed at spotlighting how the war in Ukraine and other conflicts is affecting the availability of food and prices.
