ASEAN told to delay Myanmar's entry<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian non-governmental organizations
\n(NGOs) yesterday called on ASEAN governments to delay Myanmar's
\nentry into the regional grouping until it makes more acceptable
\npolitical changes.<\/p>\n
Thirty-three NGOs, in a memorandum to Malaysia's foreign
\nministry, urged Malaysia to reconsider its support for Myanmar's
\napplication to be a member of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations.<\/p>\n
\"We are convinced that (Burma's) State Law and Order
\nRestoration Council (SLORC) has no intention of implementing
\ngenuine changes in Burma after eight bloody years of power,\" said
\na spokesman of the NGOs, Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman.<\/p>\n
Myanmar's ruling junta marked its eighth anniversary in power
\nyesterday with little fanfare, but vowed to maintain peace and
\nprosperity.<\/p>\n
The protest came after Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
\nconfirmed Tuesday that Malaysia had received Myanmar's formal
\napplication to become an ASEAN member.<\/p>\n
The application was made at the end of last month's visit of
\nBurmese junta leader Than Shwe to Malaysia, Abdullah said.
\nASEAN, which groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, Thailand and Vietnam, wants to include Myanmar, Laos
\nand Cambodia into its fold by the turn of the century.<\/p>\n
Ahmad accused the SLORC of using its ASEAN membership to
\nlegitimize its \"heinous crimes.\"<\/p>\n
\"Since the regime gained both ASEAN observer status in July
\nand our government's endorsement for membership, the SLORC has
\nincreased its harassment of the people of Burma (Myanmar)...\"
\nAhmad said.<\/p>\n
\"Clearly, the notorious SLORC is using the guarantee of ASEAN
\nmembership as a license to further perpetrate violations and
\nabuses against our 47 million neighbors in Burma,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The SLORC must correct its human rights record and pave the
\nway for a new democratic rule before being allowed to join ASEAN,
\nsaid Fan Yew Teng, another NGO spokesman.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN governments must not give the impression that it is
\ncondoning the practice of a military rule,\" Fan said.<\/p>\n
He said the NGOs were alarmed by continuing reports of forced
\nlabor, arbitrary killings, state-endorsed rape, torture, forced
\nrecruitment of children into SLORC's army and illegal incursions
\ninto Thailand and Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
The NGO's also criticized the junta's denials of rights for
\nthe ethnic Moslem-Rohingyas in the Arakan state.<\/p>\n
Debbie Stothard, another NGO spokesman, described the junta's
\nviolations as a \"slap in the face\" for proponents of the
\n\"constructive engagement\" policy, and warned that the policy may
\nturn out as a \"disaster\" for the whole region.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-told-to-delay-myanmars-entry-1447893297",
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