Upcoming Events

Centre for NTS-PD to Attend Non-Traditional Security Workshop Organised by RCSS

Centre for Non-Traditional Security and Peaceful Development Studies
(Centre for NTS-PD), Zhejiang University
13–14 December 2010
Colombo, Sri Lanka

Prof. Yu Xiaofeng, Director of the Centre for NTS-PD, Zhejiang University, will attend a private discussion workshop on ‘Non-Traditional Security Challenges and Opportunities for Cooperation: South Asia 2025’ in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 13–14 December 2010. The workshop will be hosted by the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) and fellow Consortium of Non-Traditional Security Studies in Asia (NTS-Asia) member, the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS).

APR2P to Present at the International Studies Association Annual Convention

Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (APR2P)
16–19 March 2011
Montreal, Canada

APR2P Executive Director Dr Noel Morada, Research Director Prof. Tim Dunne, Outreach Director Ms Sarah Teitt, Programme Leader for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities Dr Deborah Mayersen, and Programme Leader for the Protection of Civilians Mr Charles Hunt will all be presenting their research at the International Studies Association's (ISA’s) 52nd annual convention which will take place in Montreal, Canada, on 16–19 March 2011. Dr Morada and Ms Teitt will present papers in the panel chaired by Prof. Tim Dunne on ‘Regional Politics and Arrangements: Opportunities, Challenges, and Constraints in Implementing the Responsibility to Protect’, in which the participants will investigate how to promote the Responsibility to Protect (RtoP) principle at the regional level and what role regional arrangements play in preventing and responding to mass atrocities.

Prof. Dunne will also present his paper, 'Humanitarian Reasoning: Legends and Lives in Contemporary Global Humanitarianism' as part of the panel, The Politics and Pathologies of the Global Humanitarian Order. Dr Mayersen's paper with Dr Philip Orchard is entitled 'The Will "To Do Better": Political Will in International Responses to Genocide and Mass Atrocities'. Ms Teitt will also be presenting a separate paper, 'Both Elites and Comrades? The (Competing) Identities in China's Peacekeeping Policy' while Mr Hunt will be presenting two papers, 'To Serve and Protect: Police Peacekeeping and the Protection of Civilians in Peace Operations' and 'Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted: Monitoring and Evaluating the Impact of Police in Police Operations'.

Click here to find out more about the ISA and its annual convention.

'Genocide and Mass Atrocities in the Asia-Pacific: Legacies and Prevention'

Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (APR2P)
21–22 March 2011
Australia

This two-day workshop will be hosted by APR2P on 21–22 March 2011. As a multidisciplinary workshop, it will bring together a select group of academics to consider key aspects of the topic on genocides and mass atrocities, including the legacy of 20th century genocides and mass atrocities in the Asia-Pacific, transitional justice, regional prospects and challenges for mass atrocity prevention, and early warning in the region. Co-convened by programme Leaders, Dr Deborah Mayersen and Ms Annie Pohlman, key researchers in this field who will be presenting in the workshop include Prof. Alex Hinton, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Genocide, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights; Prof. Alex Bellamy, APR2P Honorary Professor; Assoc. Prof. Dale Bagshaw, Founding and current President of the Asia-Pacific Mediation Forum; Assoc. Prof. Clinton Fernandes, East Timor and international relations expert of the Australian Defence Force Academy; Dr Paul Bartrop, Co-editor of The Genocide Studies Reader, 2009; and numerous other experts. For more information about the upcoming workshop, please contact Dr Deborah Mayersen (d.mayersen@uq.edu.au).

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Recent Events

Workshop on the 'Benefits of Cooperation in the Himalayan River Basin Countries of Bangladesh, China, India and Nepal'

RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
3 December 2010
Singapore

The RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, in collaboration with the Strategic Foresight Group (SFG), organised a Workshop on the ‘Benefits of Cooperation in the Himalayan River Basins Countries of Bangladesh, China, India and Nepal’ on 3 December 2010. This event examined the critical issue of water security and discussed transboundary water issues and the potential of and benefits for regional cooperation on issues that affect the Himalayan River Basins countries. This joint workshop in Singapore was the third in a series of water security workshops organised by SFG. The first was held in August 2009 in Kathmandu and was co-hosted by SFG and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The second was held in Dhaka in January 2010 and was co-hosted by SFG and the Bangladesh Institute for Security Studies. Participants of this workshop included former cabinet ministers, senior policy advisers, heads of prominent research institutes and leading media personalities from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, China and Singapore.

Asia-Pacific Centre Roundtable with the Australian Government

Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (APR2P)
1 December 2010
Canberra, Australia

On 1 December, Executive Director for the Centre, Dr Noel Morada, and Outreach Director, Sarah Teitt, held a roundtable briefing for Australian government officials on recent developments in implementing RtoP and RtoP constituency building in the region. Dr Morada and Ms Teitt also briefed the roundtable on APR2P’s recent work and country programmes in Southeast Asia. For information on the Centre's activities, please contact the Outreach Director, Sarah Teitt (s.teitt@uq.edu.au).

4th Annual Convention of the Consortium of NTS-Asia

RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
Secretariat of the Consortium of NTS-Asia
25–26 November 2010
Singapore

The 4th Annual Convention of the Consortium of NTS-Asia was held on 25–26 November 2010 at the Traders Hotel, Singapore. Similar to previous years, the convention brought together members of the Consortium to take stock of the salient non-traditional security (NTS) issues in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as to formulate ways forward to sustain the Consortium's activities.

The opening session began with welcome remarks from Amb. Barry Desker, Dean of RSIS; Assoc. Prof. Mely Caballero-Anthony, Secretary-General of NTS-Asia and RSIS Head of Centre for NTS Studies; and brief remarks by Prof. John Fitzgerald, Representative of the Ford Foundation in China. The Consortium was also privileged to have Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Board Member of Sisters in Islam (and daughter of former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohammad) as the keynote speaker for the opening session. As an activist for gender and HIV/AIDS issues, Datin Paduka Marina delivered a comprehensive and enlightening keynote address that focused on gender and health security issues, which was enhanced by her on-the-ground experiences in her line of work.

The opening session was followed by several panel sessions on various NTS topics. These included: Global Architecture and Non-Traditional Security; Climate Change and Security; Food Security; Transnational Crime; Conflict Prevention and Resolution; as well as Human Rights and Human Security. This year's Convention also saw the participation of other NTS experts who came from as far as Latin America, such as Dr Marcela Donadio from Red De Seguridad Y Defensa De America Latina (RESDAL), Buenos Aires, Argentina, who spoke on gender and conflict prevention. Other speakers, who could not make it to Singapore for the convention, delivered their presentations via video recording. Of particular mention was Dr Sania Nishtar, Founder and President of Heartfile, Pakistan, who presented on Health and Globalisation, as well Prof. Andrew Watson, former representative of the Ford Foundation in China, who delivered some brief remarks. Prof. Watson had played a significant role in the formation of the NTS network.

Presentations and speeches delivered during the convention will be uploaded to the RSIS Centre for NTS Studies and NTS-Asia websites in due course.

Talk on the ‘Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Surveys’

Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS)
22 November 2010
New Delhi, India

The Research Group on Educational Inequalities at CSDS (facilitated by members of the Lokniti team) organised a talk and discussion on 22 November with Dr Rukmini Banerji, Director of the ASER Centre, on the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Surveys. As one of the largest annual studies on elementary education and learning outcomes in rural India surveying approximately 700,000 children, ASER is a valuable data source for the monitoring of the status of education in the country.

Dr Banerji discussed the evolution of the ASER surveys (which are facilitated by Pratham) with an emphasis on their unique methodology and their implementation through citizen-led efforts. The ASER surveys stress the importance of gathering information not only on access to education, but also on the quality of education imparted in schools in rural India. For more information on the ASER surveys as well as data access questions, visit ASER’s website at www.asercentre.org.

This talk was attended by CSDS and Delhi University (DU) faculty, DU students and education researchers, and was followed by an animated and in-depth discussion with the ASER team on their findings and data related issues.

The Research Group on Educational Inequalities is an informal group of researchers with interests in diverse areas relating to educational inequality in general, and the monitoring of the Right to Education (RTE) in particular. Email educationresearch.csds@gmail.com for more information on this group.

APR2P RtoP Seminar Series

Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (APR2P)
8–12 November 2010
Manila, The Philippines

Amb. Laura Del Rosario (left), Dr Noel M. Morada (centre) and Sarah Teitt (right), responding to questions at the RtoP Seminar for the government sector.

APR2P, in cooperation with the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP), conducted a series of seminars for academe, civil society groups, students, and government sector representatives in Manila on 8–12 November 2010. The seminars provided an update on RtoP developments, the role of the ICRtoP, and allowed for the sharing of African experiences in promoting RtoP in the continent. Dr Noel Morada, Executive Director of the APCR2P, Ms Sarah Teitt, Outreach Director of the APCR2P, and Ms Doris Mpoupou, Director of the ICRtoP in New York, conducted the seminar with the help of Dr Lourdes Veneracion-Rallonza of Ateneo de Manila University. The seminar series is part of the APCR2P's country programme in building awareness and constituency in the Philippines on the norm and prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. Participants in the seminars also identified concrete steps and projects that would advance RtoP in the Philippines in the next two to three years based on their individual and institutional commitments.

During the seminar for students coordinated by Mr Richard Heydarian, the R2P Student Coalition of the Philippines was launched following a debate between Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines Diliman students on the topic, 'Resolve that R2P is a Pretext for Western intervention in Developing Countries'. The seminar with members of the government sector was co-organised by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the Department of Foreign Affairs, with the support of its Director, Amb. Laura Del Rosario and Ms Rhodora Joaquin, head of the FSI Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies.

Conference on ‘Early Warning for Prevention’

Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (APR2P)
3–4 November 2010
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Genocide survivor and advocate, Neou Kassie (left), speaking with Francis Deng, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide at the conference.

The International Coalition for RtoP, APR2P and Oxfam Australia co-hosted a conference on ‘Early Warning for Prevention: Technologies and Practice for the Prevention of Mass Atrocity Crimes’. The conference explored how international and local actors can use early warning mechanisms to contribute to the prevention of mass atrocity crimes, as well as examined strategies to work effectively with communities once early warning has been raised. There was significant discussion on the role of communications, in particular new technologies such as GIS mapping and 'crowdsourcing' platforms such as Ushahidi, and how these systems can interact with more traditional early warning mechanisms. More than 100 participants from 30 countries representing a diverse range of specialisations attended the conference, including Special Advisors to the UN Secretary-General, human rights activists, new technology experts, international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and regional civil society representatives focusing on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. The conference was part of a two-year project led by Oxfam Australia and funded by the Australian R2P Fund to bring NGOs together to consider practical means of operationalising the preventative aspects of the RtoP principle.

For more information about the conference, please contact the Centre's Outreach Director, Sarah Teitt at s.teitt@uq.edu.au.

BIPSS in EU–ARF Conference and G-20 Consultative Process on Energy Security

Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS)
18–19 November; 28 October – 1 November 2010
Brussels, Belgium; London, UK

BIPSS President Maj-Gen. ANM Muniruzzaman (Retd) joined the ‘European Union–ASEAN Regional Forum (EU-ARF) Conference’ in Brussels, Belgium from 18 to 19 November 2010. The theme of this conference was ‘Climate Security and the Role of the Military’. The Major-General also attended the ‘G-20 Consultative Process on Energy Security’ in London from 28 October to 1 November. It brought together senior policymakers and experts on energy and climate security issues from many countries.

Workshop on Peace Education

Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP)
30–31 October 2010
New Delhi, India

WISCOMP, in partnership with the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) South Asia Secretariat, conducted a Peace Education Workshop titled ‘Enriching Democratic Practice in South Asia: Possibilities from the Field of Peacebuilding’, in New Delhi, India, from 30–31 October 2010. Delivering the inaugural lecture titled ‘Democracy and Peacebuilding’, Dr Meenakshi Gopinath, Founder and Honorary Director of WISCOMP, highlighted the importance of civil society in peacebuilding and conflict prevention. The workshop sessions focused on issues such as democracy and peacebuilding, the theoretical aspects as well as the practical application of peacebuilding strategies and approaches, spirituality and peacebuilding, and peacebuilding skills such as dialogue and negotiation. The workshop targeted graduate and undergraduate students who have a background in peacebuilding. The 56 participants who were selected for the workshop were from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Uganda and the US.

BIISS Participates in 10th Bi-Annual International Conference
of Council for Asian Transnational Threat Research

Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS)
27–29 October 2010
Manila, The Philippines

Colonel AKM Nazrul Islam, afwc, psc, Acting Director-General of BIISS attended the 10th Bi-Annual International Conference of the Council for Asian Transnational Threat Research (CATR) held in Manila, the Philippines from 27–29 October 2010. The theme of the conference was ‘The Emerging Landscape of Transnational Threats: Taking CATR to the Next Level’. The conference was organised by the CATR and the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR), with the support of the US Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). 39 participants from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and the US attended the event. Colonel Nazrul presented a paper on ‘Water Security: Bangladesh Perspective’ at the conference.

Changing the Architecture of Global Governance

Institute for Human Security (IHS), La Trobe University
24 October 2010
Melbourne, Australia

The global order is changing rapidly. New powers like China, India and Brazil and institutions like the G20 have become more significant whilst issues such as climate change, population movements, food security and epidemic diseases become more significant threats to security.

On 24 October 2010, IHS and the Wheeler Centre co-hosted a free public lecture entitled 'The Changing Architecture of Global Governance' on the changes underway and how they are affecting Australia. Two days later, the institute convened a closed-door workshop for experts on the challenges of global architecture in the fields of global health, climate change in cities and new partnerships for development. 

Please click here for the report of the workshop.

Centre for NTS-PD Participates in Conferences on Energy Economics and Climate Change

Centre for Non-Traditional Security and Peaceful Development Studies
(Centre for NTS-PD), Zhejiang University
14–16 October and 16 October 2010
Canada; Mishima, Japan

Prof. Mi (centre) at the international symposium in Japan.

Prof. Hong Mi, Deputy Director of the Centre for NTS-PD, Zhejiang University, at the invitation of the United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE), attended the 29th USAEE/IAEE (International Association for Energy Economics) North American Conference in Canada on 14–16 October 2010. He also attended an International Symposium on ‘Post-Kyoto Policies for Climate Change’ in Mishima, Japan, on 16 October 2010 at the invitation of Nihon University. Prof. Mi delivered a speech on ‘International Responsibility of China in Carbon Mitigation’ at the symposium.

Seminar on ‘A Bridge Not Far’

RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
14 October 2010
Singapore

Conventional military notions of security position the nation state as the primary protector of society. Within this conceptualisation of security, the nation state is the primary focus of security concerns. The human security framework, on the other hand, foregrounds people-centred dimensions of security, especially in the area of NTS issues. Gender analysis is a significant part of NTS concerns. It is within this context of a gendered perspective of human security that Dr Meenakshi Gopinath, Principal of Lady Shri Ram College, and Founder and Honorary Director of Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), discussed the challenges and opportunities in peacebuilding, drawing on the experience of South Asia. She sought to highlight the concerns and experiences of women, who as a group are disproportionately affected by conflict and displacement.

Click here to for a full write-up and audio recording of the seminar.

Workshop on ‘Securing Food Futures in the Asia-Pacific:
Evaluating Regional Frameworks for Food Security’

RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
in collaboration with
Department of International Relations, Australian National University (ANU)
6 – 8 October 2010
Australia

The RSIS Centre for NTS Studies and the ANU Department of International Relations jointly organised a public forum and workshop titled ‘Securing Food Futures in the Asia Pacific: Evaluating Regional Frameworks for Food Security’ on 6–8 October 2010 in Canberra, Australia. The workshop examined the conceptual framework of food security as well as existing regional initiatives. It also identified a number of issues central to food security such as the impact of climate change to food security and community rights to food security, among others. The discussion was given a multi-sectoral food security dimension as participants looked at the issue of governance and institutions, different levels of analysis, food security as public goods and types of policy interventions.

Participants included representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), scholars from reputable think tanks and universities such as the APEC Study Centre of the University of Auckland, The Crawford Fund for a Food Secure World Australia, the WorldFish Center, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

The outcome of the meeting will be disseminated through the RSIS Centre for NTS Studies’ websites in the form of reports, policy papers, and edited books at a later date.

Click here to read the executive summary of the event.

Planning Workshop on ‘Early Warning, Early Response’

Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS)
in collaboration with
The University of Karachi and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
1 October 2010
Karachi, Pakistan

This workshop was organised by the Programme on Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (PPSCR), Department of International Relations in the University of Karachi, in collaboration with RCSS, and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in the Hague, Netherlands.

The issues covered by speakers and participants of the meeting included: militancy and terrorism; ethnic and class based conflicts; religion, caste and sectarian conflicts; gender and youth based tensions; lack of good governance; election and post election violence; environmental pollution and health related issues; human rights violations; and the problems of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Participants concluded that the growing social and political issues in South Asia need to be addressed through the establishment of an Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) system in South Asia, a mechanism that aims to alert and caution state authorities and societal forces to cope with man-made disasters in order to reduce human suffering, causalities and ordeal. The meeting in its concluding session gave several findings and recommendations for the establishment of an EWER system in South Asia. It proposed the formulation of a Regional Action Plan for EWER to deal with social and political issues. The meeting also suggested that proper awareness of EWER should be created among youths by including such themes in the syllabi of students in schools, colleges and universities since youths belong to the most vulnerable segment of society and are the most susceptible to extremism and militancy. The meeting also suggested that marginalised social groups such as minorities and women be empowered to handle the challenges of violent conflicts in society in an effective manner.

Media Workshop to Commemorate International Day of Peace

Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS)
25–26 September 2010
Colombo, Sri Lanka

To commemorate the International Day of Peace, RCSS, in collaboration with the South Asia Free Media Association – Sri Lanka Chapter, conducted a workshop titled ‘Media-Post-War Priorities for Peace and Development’. The workshop was held in Colombo at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. About 30 local journalists participated in the workshop. The proceedings were conducted in Tamil and Sinhalese, and focused on the media and reporting in the post-conflict environment in Sri Lanka. The workshop also focused on aspects such as investigative journalism and media ethics, and included group exercises and discussions on media reporting and peacebuilding.  The resource persons of the workshop included prominent Sri Lankan journalists and academics such as Ms Shamini Boyle, Mr Shan Wijetunga and Dr S.I. Keethaponcalan.

RCSS in Global Strategic Review Conference

Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS)
11–14 September 2010
Geneva, Switzerland

The 8th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Global Strategic Review (GSR) Conference was held in Geneva from 11–14 September 2010. The theme of the conference was ‘Global Security Governance and the Emerging Distribution of Power’. Dr Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, delivered the keynote address on ‘Power and Shifts of Security’. A meeting of centre directors of the Regional Network of Strategic Studies Centers (RNSSC) was convened following the conclusion of the event. Executive Director Prof. Amal Jayawardane represented RCSS at both events.

IIRI Organises 2010 Korea Global Forum

Ilmin International Relations Institute (IIRI), Korea University
9–10 September 2010
Seoul, South Korea

The Korea Global Forum (KGF), held on 9–10 September 2010, focused on the topic of ‘The Korean Question on a Regional and Global Context’. It comprised a series of discussions to gather the opinions of the international community on the need for a safe, peaceful, and unified Korean peninsula and was organised jointly by IIRI and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Unification. 

The event was attended by 21 participants who were current and former government officials, as well as civilian and academic experts. 11 countries, including South Korea, the US, Japan, China, Russia, England, France, Germany, Australia, India and Singapore were represented.

KGF Chairman and Emeritus Prof. Han Sung-joo gave the opening address on the morning of 9 September. Minister of Unification Hyun In-taek delivered a congratulatory message and former US Secretary of Defense William Cohen delivered the keynote address. The opening ceremony was attended by approximately 200 people, including ambassadors, government officials, and professors from various countries.

This was followed by two days of closed-door meetings discussing the current state of regional security in the Asia-Pacific, the North Korean nuclear problem, and the unification of the Korean peninsula. Prof. Soeya Yoshihidae from Keio University, Japan, gave a presentation in the first session; while Prof. James Cotton of New South Wales University, Australia; and Prof. Victor Cha of Georgetown University, USA, presented in the second and third sessions respectively.

In a wrap-up session, the participants discussed the need for a new paradigm on East Asian security in order to better address the recurring problems of North Korea’s nuclear weapons, transfers of power and humanitarian crises. Participants agreed that a new paradigm should include Korean unification as a fundamental measure to resolve the North Korean problem. A realistic and pragmatic roadmap for unification is needed, which should encompass the diverse national interests and concerns within the region. In this respect, the KGF fostered open discussion on creative and innovative solutions to East Asia’s security issues.

The KGF will be held annually in Seoul as a 1.5-track forum, to be attended by a multinational panel of government officials and academic experts to discuss problems facing the Korean peninsula.

3rd Ilmin International Relations Institute Director Appointed

Ilmin International Relations Institute (IIRI), Korea University
30 August 2010
Seoul, South Korea

Dr Kim (left) receiving his appointment from President Lee.

Dr Kim Sung-han, Professor of the Graduate School of International Studies at Korea University, was appointed Director of IIRI at Korea University on 30 August 2010. Dr Kim had been serving as the Acting Director since March 2009, and was formally appointed to his current position by President of Korea University Lee Ki-Su. Dr Kim has pledged to work toward the development of both Korea University and IIRI.

Regional Roundtable on
‘Promoting People to People Interaction through SAARC’

Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) in collaboration with
The Centre for South Asian Studies and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
14–16 July 2010
Kathmandu, Nepal

A South Asian regional roundtable on ‘Promoting People to People Interaction through SAARC’ was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 14–16 July 2010. It was organised by the Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS), in collaboration with RCSS and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC).

Eminent academics, diplomats and experts on issues related to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) from South Asia as well as Mr Darynell Rodriguez Torres, Representative of the GPPAC from The Hague, participated in the roundtable.

During the inaugural session, Executive Director of RCSS, Prof. Amal Jayawardane, spoke of the importance of GPPAC’s peacebuilding activities especially through its engaging with regional intergovernmental organisations such as SAARC. He expressed hope that this initiative would enable more interactions with the organisation in the future. Well-known Nepali journalist and Editor of the Nepali Times, Mr Kunda Dixit, shed light on the shortcomings of SAARC and spoke on the issue of the militarised and overly-security conscious governmental regulations in the region. Mr Dixit pointed out the need for a borderless region where people, ideas and goods can travel freely.

Participants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal highlighted the importance of promoting Track II and III approaches and initiatives in South Asia which would be a big step forward towards achieving a customs union, common currency, South Asian Economic Union and even a South Asian parliament as envisaged by the people of SAARC.

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Recent Publications

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Commentaries and other News Articles

Pakistan’s Floods: How Not to be Caught Off Guard, World Affairs Journal, 2010
(Article adapted from a commentary by Irene A. Kuntjoro)

Optimism and Different Approach Needed, The Straits Times, 30 November 2010
Can Cancun Salvage Copenhagen?, Eurasian Review, 29 November 2010
May Cancun Salvage Copenhagen, The Jakarta Post, 27 November 2010
(Articles adapted from a commentary by Sofiah Jamil and Devin Maeztri)

Human Trafficking is More Than Sexual Exploitation
Esther Ng, TODAY, 29 November 2010

The Indonesian Defence Forces and Disaster Relief: Potential Pitfalls and Challenges
Evan A. Laksmana, RSIS Commentaries No. 160, 29 November 2010

Researchers Have Much to Chew On
Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 27 November 2010

Aung San Suu Kyi: Critic or Bridge Builder?, The Jakarta Post, 24 November 2010
(Article adapted from a commentary by Alistair Cook)

Suu Kyi Release Could Boost Burma’s Economy
Bangkok Post, 17 November 2010

Malaysia Must Get its Act Together
Gerhard Hoffstaedter, The Canberra Times, 8 November 2010

Strengthening RI’s Disaster Preparedness, The Jakarta Post, 4 November 2010,
Triple Trouble in Indonesia: Strengthening Jakarta’s Disaster Preparedness, Eurasia Review, 4 November 2010
Triple Trouble in Indonesia: Strengthening Jakarta’s Disaster Preparedness, PreventionWeb, 4 November 2010
(Articles adapted from a commentary by Irene A. Kuntjoro and Sofiah Jamil) 

The West Fears Sharia, but Is Happy to Profit from its Laws
Gerhard Hoffstaedter, The Canberra Times, 21 October 2010

Superpower Mania a Cold War Relic
Dennis Altman, The Age, 20 October 2010

Commonwealth is More Than Games
Dennis Altman, The Australian, 13 October 2010

UN Millennium Development Goals Summit: What Next?
Gerhard Hoffstaedter, The Canberra Times, 1 October 2010

People Must Be Able to Feel at Home Here
Gerhard Hoffstaedter, The Age, 1 October 2010

There Are Votes to Win in the Politics of Fear
Gerhard Hoffstaedter, The Australian, 24 September 2010

Aids and the Globalization of Sexuality
Dennis Altman, World Politics Review, 10 August 2010

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About the Consortium of NTS-Asia

The Consortium of NTS-Asia is a network of research institutes and think tanks in the Asia-Pacific.

Its primary objectives are to advance the field of non-traditional security (NTS) studies in Asia, develop long-term and sustainable regional capacity for research and policy studies on a wide range of NTS issues, and develop further the process of networking among scholars and analysts working on NTS issues in the region.

Website: www.rsis-ntsasia.org; Email: NTS_Centre@ntu.edu.sg