70% conflicts are fight to control energy

Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo noted that about 70 percent of the worlds conflicts were fights to control energy and oil.

"I assure you that 70 percent of the conflicts are due to the fight to seize oil energy, as fossil energy cannot be renewed, and it is critical," the TNI Commander said at a public lecture in London School of Public Relations (LSPR) in Jakarta, Friday.

He added that the conflict would continue until the energy output was over.

He cited the conflict that occurred in the Middle East region, known as the Arab Spring, as an example. The struggle is to control energy and oil resources across the various countries in the world. The Middle East is an oil producing region, he remarked.

"We see (the conflicts in) Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and what is still happening in Syria. The regions are the biggest oil producers in the world. What is happening there is because of the struggle for energy," explained Nurmantyo.

The TNI commander pointed out that even United States (US) President Donald Trump had noted this. During a visit to Iraq, Trump once said the ISIS would never have existed if the US could control oil.

"It is not surprising that Trump chose former boss in Exxon Mobil as the foreign minister," he observed.

He stressed that countries interested in oil did not always plunge directly into a war, but they were using the local peoples agitations to fuel conflicts.

Once energy sources run out by 2056, there will be a food and water crisis. Other countries will then target the food and water owned by states that are located close to the equatorial lines.

"Countries beyond the equator that have about 9.8 billion people will target countries within the equator, such as the ASEAN countries, Colombia, Mexico and others, for their food and water," the TNI Commander highlighted.

According to him, countries outside the equator would then see Indonesia as a country rich in natural resources.

"After the Arab Spring, many countries are looking towards the Equator, other countries will look at Indonesia which has abundant natural resources, the second longest coastline in the world, and much food. Indonesia will become vulnerable," he emphasized.

The proclaimer of the Indonesian nation, Soekarno (Bung Karno), once stated that Indonesias natural wealth would someday be a source of envy for other countries in the world.

"President Joko Widodo also once said, '(being) rich in natural resources can be a disaster for Indonesia'," the TNI Commander revealed.

Therefore, the TNI Commander reminded the Indonesian people to be careful. This country should always be united or other countries will seize its oil and energy, as happened in Syria, he mentioned.

"We must all be careful, if we are still at loggerheads, we can easily be pitted against each other, and Indonesia will become a field for future conflicts," General Gatot Nurmantyo said

Source : ANTARA