Managing Mobility of People in Disputed Area: The Case of Indonesia-Malaysia Cross-Border Cooperation / Dynamics of Migrations and Mobilities of People

Abstract

Interstate borders become one of the most frequent sources of disputes and conflicts around the world. Violence may become a significant feature in the dynamics of border disputes, such as at the South China Sea, Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. However, socio-economic activities may also occur intensely in the border area, which requires people to carry out cross-border mobility. This condition also occurs in the Indonesia-Malaysia border region. On land, the two countries still have seven Outstanding Boundary Problems. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Malaysia have yet to agree on their exclusive economic zones at sea, especially in the Sulawesi Sea. As a result, armed tensions have occurred between them several times. For example, in 2005, the claim of the oil-rich Ambalat Block led to increased military presence from both countries in the disputed sea. Nevertheless, the people of the two countries continue to practice cross-border mobility, including in disputed areas, due to family, cultural and economic ties. Indonesia and Malaysia have initiated cross-border cooperation to manage cross-border mobility in disputed areas. This paper will analyze the practice of cross-border cooperation in facilitating cross-border mobility in the Indonesia-Malaysia disputed area. This paper will portray cross-border cooperation as an alternative method of conflict management, hypothesizing that crossborder cooperation can reduce violence, improve people's welfare, and build proper conditions to start working on the conflict resolution process