Abdurrahman speaks about non-interference<\/p>\n
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat<\/p>\n
BATAM, Riau (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid, addressing the
\ninaugural ASEAN People's Assembly, lauded the application of the
\nprinciple of non-interference in the region.<\/p>\n
To a gathering of some 300 representatives of the 10 member
\nstates of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the
\nPresident pointed out on Saturday that in his official capacity
\nhe has to strictly abide by this principle which has served the
\ngroup in good stead for so many years.<\/p>\n
While acknowledging the growing demands to review the
\nprinciple and the greater role of the non-state actors in the
\nregion, Abdurrahman argued that different conditions in the
\nrespective member states sometimes did not permit ideals held by
\none member country to foster in another.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman recounted that he was \"very close\" with jailed
\nMalaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. However, ASEAN
\nagreements do not permit interference in the internal affairs of
\nmember countries.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very close with Anwar Ibrahim, but when I became
\npresident I told Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad: 'I will not
\ninterfere in the matters of Malaysia',\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"So when Anwar Ibrahim's wife came to Jakarta and requested to
\nhave breakfast with me, I did that but afterwards I told the
\nMalaysian Ambassador that the breakfast was impossible for me to
\navoid but I would not take any action to interfere\".<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes it should also be remembered that progress, or
\nlet's say reconciliation, in one part of ASEAN cannot be executed
\nin another part.\"<\/p>\n
ASEAN -- comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
\nMalaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
\nVietnam -- has in recent years been under pressure to review or
\naltogether drop its non-interference policy given the alleged
\nhuman rights violations occurring in member states.<\/p>\n
Among the most often cited examples by activists of political
\nrepression is the jailing of Anwar Ibrahim and Myanmar opposition
\nleader Aung San Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
Such issues were among the talking points of the three-day
\nASEAN People's Assembly.<\/p>\n
Organized by the ASEAN Institute for Strategic and
\nInternational Studies (ASEAN-ISIS), the Assembly, which began on
\nFriday, aims to provide an avenue where people of the region can
\nexpress their aspirations in an organization known to be a
\nfraternity of government officials.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman remarked that he had personally informed the
\nleader of Myanmar, Than Shwe, that he would not agree to Suu
\nKyi's call to boycott the country as that would probably do more
\ndirect damage than good.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman defended his stance by saying that different
\nsocieties have not \"developed\" at the same pace.<\/p>\n
\"So this policy of non-interference should be followed because
\nwe have to understand the position in other societies ... this is
\nimportant for people in ASEAN to know.\"<\/p>\n
\"We have our principles, but we have to adapt those principles
\nto the development of each country as well as the development
\nthroughout ASEAN,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes we can aide our friends, but sometimes we have to
\nbear with the situation\".<\/p>\n
While voicing his official position as President, Abdurrahman
\nalso expressed some personal feelings. It was evident in the talk
\nthat he was somewhat torn on the matter, as he kept citing
\n\"friends\" in several ASEAN countries who were being oppressed for
\ntheir activities.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, as a democratic man I have to give sympathy to
\nthose who work for human rights ... Its a long way to have a
\ntruly democratic society,\" he said while citing a Chinese proverb
\nthat \"a journey of a thousand paces begins with one step\".<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he stressed that any societal change within a
\ncountry must be launched and acted upon by the citizens of that
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"As an individual I have my own views about Malaysia which I
\nwon't present here as it would only wreck the relations between
\nIndonesia and Malaysia.\" (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abdurrahman-speaks-about-non-interference-1447893297",
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