ASEAN and Aung San Suu Kyi<\/p>\n
That the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) seems
\nto be breaking with the tradition of not criticizing the internal
\naffairs of member states by calling for the release of Aung San
\nSuu Kyi is certainly obvious progress towards more transparency
\nand credibility in solving ASEAN-related problems. Of course, I
\ncould not agree more with Mahathir Mohamad's statement that \"we
\nare not criticizing Myanmar for doing what is not related to us,
\nbut what they have done has affected us, our credibility.\"
\n(Jakarta Post, July 21).<\/p>\n
This is a correct statement indicating how nations are
\nbecoming borderless. The junta must have been shocked by ASEAN's
\nmove, especially by Mahathir's strong statement that \"Myanmar
\nmight have to be expelled from ASEAN\" (the Post, July 21). At
\nleast, this is a serious reminder to the generals to not use this
\norganization to protect their vested interests and for thinking
\ncautiously before committing any action that could affect its
\nneighbors and ASEAN credibility.<\/p>\n
This effort of trying to be frank to each other is a
\nsignificant move in finding the best formula for a ASEAN problem
\nsolving mechanism. After all, ASEAN is still a maturing
\norganization, still finding its own way. And it should be
\nadmitted too that most of its members are not democratic
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Thailand and Indonesia have enjoyed considerable degrees of
\ndemocracy, while the rest, including Malaysia and Singapore,
\ndespite their status as economic powerhouses, have not. For
\nexample, what Malaysia and Singapore did to their internal
\n\"political enemies\" is just as embarrassing as what the Myanmar
\njunta has done to Aung San Suu Kyi, with different forms of
\naction indeed. Malaysia and Singapore have silenced their
\noppositions by using \"legal\" weapons, while the Myanmar junta
\nhave used a combination of violence and legality.<\/p>\n
One probably argues that democracy must start at home first:
\nHow can you make ASEAN democratic if most of its members are not?
\nHowever, judging from the current situation it might be possible
\nto start to nurture democratic traditions by being frank to each
\nother first at ASEAN level, and then perhaps going down gradually
\nto the nation level, especially with the non-democratic
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
If Malaysia and Singapore think that their criticism of
\nMyanmar would make us forget what they have done to their own
\npolitical opponents, they are certainly wrong, too. Malaysia and
\nSingapore and other members must also be ready to be reminded and
\ncriticized by each other, no matter how strong their economic
\npower is or how high their level of seniority is.<\/p>\n
ALPHA AMIRRACHMAN,
\nBalikpapan, East Kalimantan<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-and-aung-san-suu-kyi-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}