January 15, 2007

A Truly ASEAN Predicament

By P.B. Masdal |

Posted In : Philippine Politics, Global Politics

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT that it was President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who have put to the fore what to me is the most conspicuous ASEAN predicament, that is, the Aung San Suu Kyi dilemma in Myanmar and the lack or absence of democracy there.

You could say, “Of all people.”

Despite herself being the subject of severe accusations for human rights violation in her own country—-where an alarming rate of disappearance of radical activists have been appertaining in recent months—-President Arroyo had showed no qualms at all in broaching the very sensitive issue on the discussion table, risking bruised emotions and possibly deteriorating relations among the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Actually, an intense exchange or words have resulted among several ASEAN leaders leading Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to asked that proverbial question “How are we going to help you if you are not making progress?” Apparently towards the leaders of Myanmar present at the meeting.

President Arroyo had in fact stalwartly reiterated the need for democracy in Myanmar and had unequivocally pitched for the immediate release of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. What happened was that some leaders have opined that the resolution proposed by President Arroyo was too strongly-worded and should have been rephrased accordingly. At the end of the day, the resolution had failed to gain enough support from other member nations and did not materialize at all.

What President Arroyo and her advisers had failed to note is that the ASEAN charter had clear impositions on “non-interference in the internal affairs” of every member nation and it is generally accepted that the issue of democracy in Myanmar and the Aung San Suu Kyi issue does not in any way pose a threat to the security situation in the region. And it would be of moment to remember that the ASEAN charter and policy does not in any way demand that its member be democratic or republican. Two days ago, the United States had received a double-veto of its United Nation Security Council proposal to criticize the Myanmar military administrators over the lack of democracy there and its human rights records. Perhaps, this Philippine sudden interjection on the Myanmar issue could be seen as that palpable connection and U.S. influence over the arroyo administration. Have we really finally became the favorite Asian lackey of Uncle Sam?

To be truthful, this is one of the rare moments that I could easily adhere with President Arroyo for I truly believed that there should actually be held in place a “roadmap to democracy” for Myanmar. If Israel could have a roadmap to peace; why not Myanmar? Importantly as well, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi should be released immediately for she had already suffered 15 years of captivity that even if she had committed some misconduct against the military rulers there, fifteen years is far too much a punishment for a peaceful individual like Ms. Kyi.

Yet it is but sad that there are constraints posed by international fiats like the ASEAN charter and international precept of non-interference into the international affairs of every nation even if there are already apparent grounds to be troubled by situations like that happening in Myanmar. The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) had been in power for almost two decades now and no palpable progress towards democracy had been seen except for an attempt to rewrite the constitution in February of 2005, where most opposition parties have been barred from participating, apparently leading to its failure.

ASEAN as a regional group had become one of the fastest growing in the world and is seen by many to have great potentials as an economic bloc. This is evidenced by the eagerness of China to engage with ASEAN in recent years, not to mention the continued and robust cooperation with countries like Russia, Japan and South Korea and with the huge European Union. In fact, one of the most palpable objectives of ASEAN for many years now is to have an economic union within the next coming decades and this dream could be so farfetched from reality if member countries like Myanmar would not make itself fitted towards integration into that dream economic union. A nation ruled by a military junta is just not well-fitted to be incorporated into a unified monetary system. There would be a lot of system errors if Myanmar would not fixed itself by the time the dream union comes.

Despite the fact that Myanmar should be free from external pressures in the handling of its own internal affairs, I believe though that it should be made to feel responsible for building and rebuilding itself up and making itself well-fitted to join the rest of ASEAN in cruising towards the next phase of regional integration, that is, an economic union that could one day establish one of the biggest free trade area in the world.

28 Comments »

1. ipanema says; January 16, 2007 @ 3:48 am

   Myanmar has championed in human rights violation in the form of Aung San Suu Kyi. Its military junta defiant to deny visa request of her then ailing husband who died without her. I’m not sure if she has contacts with her sons.
   Years of house arrest is just a way of silencing her struggle to help the nation. Myanmar too secretive even to transfer its capital inwards, not near the Thai border is truly hiding something from people to see. I’m not sure if it has been transferred anyway. People are poor. Some they say could have been slaving through constructing the new capital’s buildings.

   I think ASEAN should not turn a blid eye on this matter. Whether it was Pres. Arroyo or others who’d open up the subject, as a collective entity ASEAN should in one way or another help Myanmar achieve peace and the first step is through Aung San SK’s release. Yes, it’s wrong to mandate how a country should be run. However, acknowledging them is tantamount to consenting all their acts towards its people.

2. bw says; January 16, 2007 @ 11:18 am

   Some may call Gloria’s comment as tounge in cheek or perfunctory in her capacity as leader of an Asean member nation but fact is every member nation must exercise its due diligence in ensuring that its fellow members are in compliance with the association’s charter of promoting prosperity within the region. Myanmar’s poor record on human rights doesn’t only affect itself, but the harmony and credibility of the region.
   But your point is clear, that a redress must be done in an appropriate manner so that it does not elicit the perception of intervention.

3. Major Tom says; January 16, 2007 @ 1:16 pm

   To Ipanema: That’s the phrase I should have use Ipanema, ASEAN not turning a blind eye on what’s happening in Myanmar. The moment it had engaged the ASEAN, it should now at least be compelled to straighten itself up, and be responsible for some of its action, for reason that some of its actions and conduct could affect the regional bloc in a very negative manner.

   To BW: I think there should be a supplementary fiat or treaty that should define and classify what could be untoward intervention and what could be not because whether we like it or not, ASEAN is fast becoming so integral in character that what happens next door could always affect the others. If there is an absolute restriction on internal affairs interference like what’s attendant at the moment, then future and further integration could just not happen; remember that in the case of EU, the EU leadership often had demands for its member countries and would-be members to adjust their internal laws and judicial system like for example when it demanded that Turkey should modernize its Islamic based legal system. I think this mode of regulations should now be accepted in ASEAN and Myanmar be finally demanded to modernize its system of governance and improve its human rights records.

4. duke says; January 16, 2007 @ 1:26 pm

   ei major tom!

   just wanna tell you that i’m back blogging again. hope you drop by.

   hapi nu year!

5. kristine says; January 17, 2007 @ 9:20 am

   we have always been. it also goes to show how Filipinos also feel of Suu Kyi when smacked in UP road for the delegates to see is one huge banner to FREE SUU KYI. very courageous.

6. snglguy says; January 17, 2007 @ 9:49 am

   On another note, I am hoping that one day, the ASEAN countries will get their proverbial heads together and turn this region into one giant economic bloc, very much like the EU. It’s about time…

7. Daphne says; January 17, 2007 @ 11:34 am

   Well I guess it works both ways because the Philippines has been also reprimanded for not doing enough regarding human rights abuse and the rampant killings of journalists. New Zealand even reinterated that we have a pretty bad record vis a vis human rights abuses. So isn’t that interference in the internal affairs of our country?

   I believe that it took a lot of guts for the Philippines to voice out our concerns regarding the military junta in Myanmar. It is about time too!

8. Major Tom says; January 17, 2007 @ 2:25 pm

   To duke: Welcome back duke, I’ll be on your site in no time at all…

   To kristine: It’s good to see how many of our countrymen feel so strongly bout this issue…more power to them.

   To sngl: That’s the long term goal bro, in fact they have already laid the foundation for a free trade zone that could include China; that should make it the world’s largest economic bloc one day.

   To Daphne: Yeah, I felt that most of the time countries like New Zealand, USA and Australia haver been untowardly commenting about our internal affairs, now that should be interference. Bout I guess, nobody can be an island in this
   stage of modernity, it may be a positive thing ultimately for it creates check and balances. As I said, its about time that ASEAN should rewrite its policy on
   total restriction on interference.

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