ABSTRACT
Southeast Asia has not been spared the traumas and sufferings of conflicts, many of which show no signs of abating and some have the potential to escalate. This essay argues that the UN needs to play a more active role in mitigating and finding peaceful solutions to these conflicts. Regional mechanisms, such as those within ASEAN, have proved ineffective especially for intra-state conflicts, and new formulas, which could involve the UN, must be found. Reference will be made to two of the longest lasting conflicts in Southeast Asia, Aceh and Mindanao.
