ASEAN Regional Perspectives on the TPNW: Official Side Event to the 2MSP

Written by Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat, Muhammad Amir Ruzain Bin Abu Bakar, and Muhammad Ibraheem Waraich  | Reverse The Trend, South & Southeast Asian Chapter

On Tuesday, November 28, the Mission of Thailand, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and its youth initiative, Reverse The Trend hosted a side event on ASEAN Perspectives on the TPNW. Speakers included: Vowpailin Chovichien, Counsellor, Peace, Security, and Disarmament Division, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand; Shivanand Sivamohan, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations, Dr. Muhadi Sugiono, Lecturer at the Institute of International Studies of the Universitas Gadjah Mada; Muhammad Amir Ruzain Bin Abu Bakar, a Youth Coordinator for Reverse the Trend, Southeast Asia Chapter; and Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat, a Youth Coordinator for Reverse the Trend, Southeast Asia Chapter.  Each speaker shared their perspectives on the TPNW. The event was moderated by Muhammad Ibraheem Waraich, a Youth Activist for NAPF and RTT. 

The speakers discussed the progress of ASEAN's commitment to preserve the Southeast Asian region as a region free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. This was the first time that ASEAN youth were involved in the discussion on youth roles in promoting TPNW in the ASEAN region. 

Emphasising Thailand's commitment to the TPNW, Vowpailin Chovichien explained that Thailand was one of the first three states to sign and ratify the TPNW. Additionally, she mentioned that in 2023, Thailand served as the Vice President of the 1st Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW and the co-chair of the complementarity working group with Ireland. The honorable delegate explained that the TPNW should be viewed as a complementary mechanism to the NPT, not a departure from it. At the 2023 NPT PrepCom in Vienna, Thailand co-sponsored a side event entitled "Complementarity of the TPNW with the NPT, with a specific focus on the role of nuclear-weapon-free zones.” The outcome was a report, which emphasised the ways that the TPNW bolsters the pre-existing disarmament instruments. Given the large youth presence in the audience, Ms. Vowpailin Chovichien’s explanation was particularly valuable as it equipped them with the knowledge to advocate for the adoption of the TPNW in their communities. 

Recognizing the importance of youth involvement in the field of nuclear disarmament, Vowpailin concluded her presentation with a powerful quote extracted from the declaration on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations: "Youth is the missing piece for peace and development.” In ASEAN and beyond, young voices will be an important part of disarmament efforts.  

As co-chair of the universalization working group, Shivanand Sivamohan of Malaysia emphasised the importance of civil society and young people in the panel discussion. He sees civil society as a vital bridge between governments and the public. This ensures citizen concerns are heard and expertise is channeled into effective TPNW implementation. Young people, with their fresh perspectives and long-term commitment, can inject new energy into the movement and build a global coalition for nuclear abolition. By harnessing the combined power of these stakeholders, Mr. Sivamohan mentioned that the 2MSP can be a springboard toward a nuclear-free future. He highlighted that the TPNW is a treaty that gives particularly significant space for civil society and NGO to be part of discussions and encouraged young members of the audience to engage in discussions throughout the 2MSP. 

Dr. Muhadi Sugiono of the Universitas Gadjah Mada explained the significance of Indonesia’s decision to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a major victory as Indonesia is a strong regional player on nuclear disarmament. Specifically, Dr. Sugiono  explained that “ICAN has looked forward to this moment, especially for its potential role in influencing public opinion in [Indonesia and other countries like] Australia.” He further underscored that Indonesia’s ratification can serve as a shield against a potential arms race in the Indo-Pacific arena by influencing public opinion in both Indonesia and other states, such as Australia regarding Australia's AUKUS pact and nuclear weapons.  Dr. Sugiono urged swift action to harness the treaty's power, seeing it as a vital bulwark against nuclear weapons and a crucial step towards regional security. Additionally, Dr. Muhadi Sugiono highlighted the challenge of explaining nuclear disarmament to policymakers. He stated that parliamentarians focus on issues that their constituents vote on. Therefore, it is important to advocate for disarmament issues so that legislatures feel pressured to take action.

Expressing the youth perspective, Muhammad Amir Ruzain Bin Abu Bakar of Reverse The Trend shared his personal journey toward advocating for nuclear disarmament. He specified that his rector, inspired by his father's experience as a Hiroshima survivor, discussed the urgency for a world free of nuclear weapons. The testimony propelled Amir to take action by diving into the Sokka Gakkai Malaysia Association (SGM)’s activities on nuclear disarmament. Through these experiences, he developed his advocacy skills by participating in peace talks and presentations. 

After refining his advocacy skills and knowledge about nuclear disarmament, Amir joined Reverse the Trend and co-organized an online event entitled  "World Free free from nuclear weapons. This event highlighted the importance of nuclear disarmament from the ASEAN perspective. This event was significant because many Malaysian youth are unaware about nuclear disarmament and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.  The success of this event solidified his conviction that “even a single voice, amplified by the right platform, can spark significant change.”  As a result of this event, he is committed to creating a robust movement towards nuclear disarmament.

As the final speaker, Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat of RTT addressed the perspectives amongst Thai youth about nuclear disarmament. He pointed out that the low youth engagement in promoting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) stemmed from the dominant narratives in Thai classrooms. These narratives portray the Nuclear Weapon States as heroes for ending World War 2 in 1945. 

Using a vivid analogy, Rungrot compared this situation to a frog slowly boiling in water. While children in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) enjoy peace, neighbouring regions have developed weapons of mass destruction. This poses a constant threat as no one is truly safe as long as nuclear weapons exist. Rungrot also called for educators to move away from presenting nuclear weapons as tools to preserve peace and instead encourage students to recognize the existence of nuclear weapons as a present-day issue that directly impacts their future. By viewing it as their own problem, not just someone else's, children will be more invested in taking action to support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and ban these dangerous weapons.

In conclusion, this event created an essential platform for policymakers and youth activists to interact and share their perspectives. By hearing from academics, diplomats, and young people, the audience gained varied perspectives on the current state of disarmament efforts and heard discussions on how the TPNW can be moved forward. ASEAN is an important region because it is a bastion of nuclear disarmament at a time when many states are expanding and modernizing their nuclear arsenals. The region will need to continue work on this existential problem because it continues to evolve and because it can offer a model for other states around the world.