GTI-Thursday, 5/11/2025, Global Thinkers Institute-GTI, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of International Relations UPN "Veteran" Jakarta and Global Future Institute-GFI organized a geopolitics seminar, "Neocolonialism and Neonazism; Challenges of the Multipolar World of Southern Countries (Global South) and ASEAN," at the Mulyono Sudirman Auditorium, Faculty of Medicine UPNVJ, Pondok Labu, South Jakarta.
Attended by various speakers. Acting Vice Rector for Academic Affairs UPNVJ, Henry Binsar H. Sitorus (Welcome Remarks 1), Muhammad Ma'ruf, Ph.D, Director of Global Thinkers Institute-GTI (Welcome Remarks 2). Mani Eriza, Head of the Center for Multilateral Policy Strategy, Foreign Policy Strategy Agency (BSKLN), and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Keynote-speaker).
The resource persons; First Marshal TNI (Ret.) R. Agung Sasongkojati, geopolitics and military observer, Hendrajid, Director of The Global Future Institute (GFI). Prof. Dr. Ali Mochtar Ngabalin, M.Si., Head of Foreign Policy and International Relations Division of the Golkar Party Central Executive Board, and Musa Maliki, Ph.D., lecturer of International Relations UPNVJ. The discussion was moderated by Muhammad Ma'ruf, Ph.D.
Henry: Independence of Foreign Policy and ASEAN that is anti-Colonial
Henry emphasized the importance of independence in Indonesia's foreign policy as well as the importance of strengthening strategic partnerships with various countries without being trapped in the competition of great power interests.
ASEAN has an important position in maintaining stability, strengthening regional resilience, and building solidarity among countries in order to ward off forms of political and economic domination as a manifestation of Neocolonialism.
Muhammad Ma'ruf: Reject Neocolonialism and Neonazism
Ma'ruf outlined, first, Neocolonialism and Neonazism are two ideologies that are being actively revived in Eastern Europe (Ukraine) and re-normalized to the global south.
Current global political dynamics are colored by various efforts to manipulate history and propaganda for certain political interests. One phenomenon that requires serious attention is the campaign carried out by Ukraine in Global South countries. This campaign seeks to glorify individuals who once collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II, by portraying them as anti-colonial fighters. This narrative is not only misleading but also obscures the understanding of the history of Nazism and colonialism.
Second, both Neocolonialism and Neonazism are ideologies that contradict humanity and justice, contradicting the ideology of Pancasila. They must forever be rejected because they do not have a strong moral-political foundation.
Third, Neocolonialism and Neonazism are inherently ideologies based on racial and class supremacy. They have an expansionist and coercive tendency. Contradicting the spirit of Multipolarity and Pancasila; equality, sovereignty, and respect for human dignity.
Southern countries and ASEAN naturally-historically have the memory of being victims of colonialism and Nazi fascism, both directly and indirectly. That memory cannot be erased from public memory. It shapes the identity of the Indonesian nation that is anti-colonial. United in the preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, giving the mandate to become a free human being and nation, actively abolishing colonization (colonialism).
According to Ma'ruf, Multipolar World Governance is in harmony with the spirit of Pancasila and Bhineka Tunggal Eka. Meanwhile, Unipolar World Governance clearly contradicts Pancasila and Bhineka Tunggal Ika. Unipolar is based on the universalism of Western values as the standard of values, besides which the West must comply. Based on a single military command center (NATO). Anti-human rights, international law and democracy, which sometimes shows a selective face full of double standards.
Masni: Free and Active Politics Based on Multipolar
Meanwhile Masni emphasized that the current architecture of Indonesia's foreign policy is a strategic synthesis of free-active and pro towards a Multipolar world order, realizing a fair and equal global ecosystem, no single domination, international law upheld consistently for all nations.
This free-active political policy based on Multipolarity, according to Masni, has a moral and historical foundation; in accordance with the constitutional mandate, (eternal commitment to world order and social justice. Free-active means proactive strategic independence, not passive neutrality. Maintaining the spirit of Bandung 1955, which is the historical epicenter of global solidarity against colonialism.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia encourages transformation towards Multipolar governance. Connecting North-South, developed-developing countries, partnering with all, without having alliances. Making ASEAN a regional multilateral platform that stabilizes through common agreement.
Agung: Multipolar Real Politics
Agung emphasized that the war launched by the USA, Western Europe against Russia using the Ukrainian proxy was carried out within the framework of NATO's eastward expansion. Starting with the 2014 color revolution operation in Ukraine, it is a series of operations similar to regime change in Iraq, Venezuela, Syria and Iran.
The US and the West mobilize and use proxies by using various issues adjusted to the target country. Among them Nazism, caliphate, Sunni-Shia, and anti-Semitism. In Ukraine, Neo-Nazi sentiments are used to build Russophobia and fight Russia.
However, for Agung who adheres to realism, one can understand Russia's position under Putin who considers the expansionist steps of the US-West-Ukraine as an existential threat to the integrity of the Russian Federation.
Unipolar power has the same essence as neocolonialism, because it is supported by the Western military architecture; dominating the oceans and air via aircraft carriers. However, this system has vulnerabilities and can be countered by Russia; with the S-400, manufacturing superiority of ammunition production reaching 3 million compared to NATO and the US reaching 1.2 million, building land logistics corridors; Belt and Road Initiative-BRI and International North-South Transport Corridor-INSTC anti sea blockade.
Agung offers 4 doctrines of Indonesia's free-active politics based on Multipolarity;
First, multipolar real politics; the state must control resources, absolute control over supply chains, prevent divide-and-conquer operations and regime change interventions.
Second; counter lawfare; breaking the misuse of maritime rules, Flight Information Region (FIR) and international arbitration, eliminating the blame mentality, offering peace but with strength.
Agung advises not to be a passive spectator, invites to stop being victims of neocolonialism. Always be alert to foreign intervention, be alert to regime change operations. Carry out active diplomatic efforts to maintain regional stability, strengthen military sovereignty, have moral courage, be free from foreign dependence and control of the geopolitical map.
Several proposals from Agung, First, reconceptualizing free-active politics from neutral to strategic deterrence. Utilizing independence to reject dictation from outside, projecting stability and national sovereignty through a strategic realism approach.
Second, having geo-economic depth of energy, control of critical minerals as check points of the world economy.
Third, utilizing maritime and air superiority, absolutely controlling the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lanes (ALKI), Flight Information Region (FIR), Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEE).
Fourth, utilizing territorial strategic depth, territorial strategic doctrine. A doctrine of total people's defense that burdens the opponent.
According to Agung, after the second world war, there were only two powers (bipolar), the cold war between the US vs the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union broke up, the US became a Unipolar power. Building a Unipolar architecture by building 800 military bases in 70 countries. Playing double standards of international narrative rules and sanctions, controlling world finance with SWIFT, controlling Dubai and Singapore as HUBs. Launching proxy wars and regime change.
In 1990, the US began NATO's eastward expansion to stem Russian influence. Building AUKUS and QUAD to stem China's maritime influence.
Western Crisis
Now the West is experiencing a multidimensional legitimacy crisis; moral, legal, military and economic. This crisis has resulted in the destruction of global financial trust. The West builds a free market narrative, at the same time imposes unilateral sanctions on Iran and Russia. Using the USD as a weapon, freezing 300 billion USD of Russian assets.
Imposing double standards of law, and misusing the UN veto right thereby damaging the moral of the international order. Propagandizing that the Russian Federation is a continuation of imperialism and colonialism of the Soviet Union era.
Although geographically or in terms of earth's location, Russia is a northern country, but in the political map and global diplomacy, the Russian Federation often intersects and is now building alliances with the Global South and ASEAN bloc.
The war launched by the USA, Western Europe against Russia using the Ukrainian proxy was carried out within the framework of NATO's eastward expansion. Starting with the 2014 color revolution tactic in Ukraine, it is a series of regime change operations as in Iraq, Venezuela, Syria and Iran.
The war launched by the US with NATO, Western Europe, Ukraine and Israel against Russia and Iran shows the limited capability of the US. The doctrine of ocean control with aircraft carriers and air superiority can be paralyzed by high-precision missiles, underground military industry, drones and land control which are part of counter-neocolonialism.
According to Agung, southern countries are now actively taking counter-neocolonialism steps, among them, the revolution in the Sahel region; Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger expelling neocolonialism troops.
The existence of Indonesia's Nickel downstreaming program, surviving the WTO lawsuit within the framework of economic sovereignty is part of anti-colonialism.
Another counter-neocolonialism step, the formation of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The existence of a massive economic dedollarization policy, with Local Currency Settlement (Economics & Banking)-LCS transactions, Cross-border Interbank Payment System-CIPS, and building a New Development Bank-NDB replacing SWIFT's dominance.
Southern countries that have dominance of state resources, according to Agung, should be able to control main commodities and refuse to become intermediaries.
Hendrajid: Ukrainian Neo-Nazism, the Remnant Force of the West
Hendrajid gave several points. The issue of mercantilism that was popular at the beginning of colonialism, is now being revived under Unipolar-Trump, in the form of big data companies.
Indonesia according to Hendrajid, should take the opportunity that the steps of reviving neocolonialism which became Trump's policy can be utilized by Indonesia to activate the spirit of the non-aligned conference, in 1955. The phenomenon of Neonazism in Ukraine now is an operation of residual Western forces that are being used to fight Russia.
Musa: The US Today is the Embodiment of the Worst Neocolonialism (postcolonialism)
Musa quoted Kwame Nkrumah (1965), "Neocolonialism is also the worst form of imperialism. For those who practice it, it means power without responsibility, and for those who suffer from it, it means exploitation without redress."
Neocolonialism is actually a much more complex and comprehensive system, operating at the political, economic, social, and cultural levels.
Musa believes, the US today is the embodiment of the worst neocolonialism (postcolonialism). Nevertheless, neocolonialism policies can breathe long due to the mentality of a society that has been colonized. As Sukarno said, my struggle is easier because it is expelling the colonizer. Your struggle will be more difficult because it is fighting your own nation." This is proven by the Freeport contract with Indonesia, until 2061.