Cross-Border Trade in the Southern Philippines Amidst Covid-19
Podcast with He Says, She Says, They say: Incels
Indonesia’s Indo-Pacific Vision
Staying the Course in a Covid-19 World
Finding Partners: Timor-Leste’s Evolving Security Ties with Southeast Asia
Guardian, consumer or middleman? The role of the military in Indonesia’s energy security
JOSEPH FrANCO | MARCH 2021
“Beginning in March 2020, governments across the region introduced movement restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19. While health measures were implemented with the intention of protecting citizens, they have impacted local markets dependent on informal cross-border trade. This research, part of the X-Border Local Research Network project, forms a rapid assessment of the impact of Covid-19 movement and health protocols on informal cross-border trade in the Sulu archipelago. Its findings illustrate the precarity of the informal markets, and the ways in which local traders have been affected—and have adapted—to the restrictions brought about by the pandemic.”
Read the full report here: https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/X-Border_Cross-Border-Trade-in-the-Southern-Philippines-Amidst-Covid-19.pdf
Munira mustaffa | march 2021
“Following the shootings that resulted in 8 victims in Atlanta, Georgia, we speak to Munira Mustaffa about an internet subculture known as incels, and their evolution into a real-world threat, as well a surprising connection between incel violence in the US to Malaysia. Munira is a security practitioner and research fellow at Verve Research who was one of the first people in Malaysia to highlight right-wing extremism in terms of terrorism and political violence.”
Listen to the full episode here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c7ab9d88
NATALIE SAMBHI | october 2020
“Indonesia’s outlook as a maritime state has matured over the past decade. Under the Jokowi government, important shifts have occurred in the country’s thinking about the Indo-Pacific with implications for maritime policy. In particular, Jokowi has shown a greater focus during his second term on establishing a material legacy—including by upgrading infrastructure, developing human resources, boosting lagging economic growth, and relocating the capital—rather than a visionary one. While Indonesia’s relentless pursuit of multilateralism is necessary to promote regional cooperation and balance strategic rivalry, much of the administration’s attention has been diverted to addressing the economic fallout and public health pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, Indonesia’s concerted effort to be an active regional player, given its size and historical nonalignment, remains critical.”
Read the full essay here: https://www.nbr.org/publication/indonesias-indo-pacific-vision-staying-the-course-in-a-covid-19-world/
NATALIE SAMBHI | MAY 2019
“As Southeast Asian states grow in economic and military terms, it makes sense for TimorLeste to build closer ties with them. China, Japan, the United States and Australia, among others, will remain important partners for Timor-Leste. However, Southeast Asian partnerships draw dividends, in both material and non-material terms. This essay assesses the burgeoning relations between TimorLeste and its Southeast Asian partners.”
Read the full report here: https://www.pellcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Sambhi-2019.pdf
Natalie Sambhi | Spring 2018
“The Indonesian military plays a critical role in securing the country’s energy supplies and infrastructure. However, energy security policies also impact the military, given its need for a constant supply of fuel and electricity, particularly in light of increasing reliance on networked electronic systems and the planned acquisition of more modernised air and naval platforms. Despite the imperatives to support energy efficiency and emission reduction, the Indonesian military’s involvement in activities such as private security for energy exploration make it far from a neutral party in policy development. Why does the Indonesian military have such a role in energy security? And, what are the implications of its multiple conflicting interests in Indonesia’s energy security policies?”
Read the full report here: http://energy.anu.edu.au/files/paradigm_shift_issue_04_energy_security_internals_-_digital_04_0.pdf
Soldiers, Militants, and Small Drones
Henrik Paulsson | 12 November 2018
“On the battlefield in the eastern Ukraine we find clear parallels to the usage of drones in Syria. Both the Ukrainian separatists and government forces have used a large number of drones effectively, primarily for reconnaissance. With the war having bogged down into trench-warfare, the drones have started to play a significant role in where they act as spotters for artillery, both for identifying targets but also adjusting the fire.”
Read the full report here: https://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/rsis/soldiers-militants-and-small-drones/#.XKvaPUQzbMI
Explaining the Proliferation of China’s Drones
Henrik Paulsson | 10 November 2018
Many of the countries importing Chinese drones lie along the path of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Pakistan and Myanmar have long-standing ties with China, and both are now flying Chinese armed drones, with Pakistan even producing a licensed version of the Wing Loong II model. Further inland, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have all received armed drones from China. All five of these countries are critical for the BRI to function, and have seen increasing Chinese investments and connections over recent years – including significant military investments in addition to the drones.
Read the full report here: https://thediplomat.com/2018/11/explaining-the-proliferation-of-chinas-drones/