Kaombo-Ombo: Wabula Maritime Heritage as Customary Coastal Defense in ASEAN Marine Governance

Abstract

This paper discusses Kaombo-Ombo, a maritime tradition among Wabula community in Buton Regency in Southeast Sulawesi. Kaombo-Ombo is considered as customary coastal defense in terms of non-traditional maritime security and ASEAN Marine Governance approach. Though there is no doubt about its role as customary wisdom and a way of conserving natural wealth, Kaombo-Ombo is regarded as a means to handle non-traditional maritime insecurity such as overfishing, destructive fishing activities, degradation of coastal ecosystems, and conflicts over marine resources. By using a qualitative literature-based case study with a socio-legal analytical perspective, this paper investigates how Kaombo-Ombo uses customary rules, institutions, community surveillance, and punishment for ensuring the health of coastal ecosystem. It reveals that Kaombo-Ombo follows Elinor Ostrom's recommendations on managing common pool resources in terms of clear boundaries, collective choice, communal monitoring, and graduated sanctions to promote social compliance. In addition, the paper argues that Kaombo-Ombo can be applied within ASEAN Marine Governance approach through its participatory and sustainable community-based management of the sea. Therefore, Kaombo-Ombo is not just customary wisdom; it is customary coastal defense approach to promote maritime security at various levels.