Asian Security Reassessed

1. Asia has been one of the world’s most belligerent regions since the end of World War II. Of the approximately two hundred armed conflicts registered between 1945 and the present, nearly one-third took place in Asia. Two of deadliest among them were fought in Asia. More than three million people died in the Korean War ( 1950-1953 ) and over two million in the Vietnam War ( 1965-1973 ). The Indochina death toll would reach three million if we add the victims of the first Indochina War ( 1946-1954 ) and the Cambodian Conflict ( 1979-1971 ).
2. The great power rivalry, arms race, communist insurgencies, ethnic rebellions, genocide, massive refugee flows, widespread human rights violations, terrorism, banditry and piracy have added to the apprehensions over Asia’s Security.
3. The end of Cold War has not defused many of these conflics in Asia as it has those in other parts of the world such as Europe. Even worse, new threat have emerged to frustrate the efforts of Asian governments and international organizations to create a peaceful security environment in the region.
4. Regional and international organizations are also important entities in the security network. Certainly the activities of ASEAN, APEC and ARF deserve attention.