Bending 'non-interference'<\/p>\n
Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
korpur@yahoo.com<\/p>\n
A tempting reply to what might be the most important result of
\nlast week's ASEAN summit in Bali would likely be the
\ndisappointing response of the leaders over the detention of
\nMyanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
Of course there were more impressive achievements at the
\nsummit, especially in terms of the economy and better relations
\nwith Asian regional economic superpowers like China, Japan and
\nthen South Korea. But the issue of Suu Kyi seemed to overshadow
\nany hint of success at the gathering.<\/p>\n
The 10 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\nfailed to pressure the junta to free Suu Kyi at the Bali summit
\ndespite their appeals expressed since her detention in May last
\nyear. Their statements have nevertheless conveyed a concern for
\nthe growth of democracy and for more respect of human rights in
\nthe region, although they may also realize later their decision
\ncan backfire against themselves one day.<\/p>\n
And like it or not, Myanmar's junta deserves gratitude because
\ntheir prolonged repression against Suu Kyi inspired the change.<\/p>\n
It is rather strange for many that Indonesia -- the champion
\nof ASEAN's cardinal principle of non-interference for decades --
\nis acting pioneer to end its rigid implementation.<\/p>\n
The proposal was raised at the summit and the result, as
\nexpected, was a failure, as the principal remains in the Bali
\nConcord II document issued after the meeting. The concord
\nstrongly reiterates the obligation by the members to abide by the
\nmagic words, non-interference.<\/p>\n
Bending the principal would imply that while retiring
\nMalaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad loudly scolded
\nMyanmar's junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi, he might have to
\nbrace for his neighbors shouting the same thing for the release
\nof the jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
Singapore's Goh Chok Tong has also strongly acted in favor of
\nSuu Kyi. But if others call on him to soften his government's
\nrepressive practices -- through legal lawsuits -- against its
\noutspoken antigovernment critics, the prime minister would find
\nhimself shouting back in defense, just like Myanmar's junta.<\/p>\n
Apart from Indonesia, only Thailand and the Philippines so far
\nare prepared to share their dirty linen with others, along with
\nthe development of democracy in these countries.<\/p>\n
However, although ASEAN leaders have pledged to continue to
\nrefrain from sticking their noses in their friends' affairs,
\nMahathir and Goh along with other leaders have, though perhaps
\nunwittingly, set a far-reaching precedent for the regional group
\nthrough their separate calls to free Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
Agreeing to \"flexible non-interference\" would imply that one
\nday, in the face of a petition from a neighboring country urging
\nMalaysia to free Anwar Ibrahim, or strong appeals for Singapore
\nto relax the Internal Security Act, the two countries could no
\nlonger tell such governments to mind their own business.<\/p>\n
At least they would have to provide some response.<\/p>\n
But why is Indonesia, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs
\nHassan Wirayuda, so eager to relax the non-interference
\nprincipal?<\/p>\n
Conversations with Indonesian diplomats like Hassan and
\nMinistry of Foreign Affairs' spokesman Marty Natalegawa and some
\nCabinet members may give some insight.<\/p>\n
Since the fall of Soeharto in May 1998, Indonesia switched
\nfrom being ASEAN's main source of power to its main source of
\nanxiety. Since then Indonesian officials attending regional
\nmeetings, from the level of senior officials and ministers to the
\nheads of governments, had to brief counterparts on clashes
\nbetween Christians and Muslims in Maluku and other issues of
\nendless domestic turbulence. In time, the usually sensitive
\nofficials no longer felt embarrassed when asked about domestic
\nchaos in regional meetings.<\/p>\n
\"We have lost our sense of shame,\" an official joked.<\/p>\n
The most shocking experience for Indonesia and ASEAN was
\nduring the post-referendum mayhem in East Timor in 1999. At that
\ntime ASEAN could not do much to support the Indonesian
\ngovernment, because for decades they had pretended not to hear
\nand not to know anything about East Timor. After all, by ASEAN
\nstandards, it was strictly Indonesia's domestic affair.<\/p>\n
\"If ASEAN from the beginning was well informed about East
\nTimor, we might not have needed the presence of Australian troops
\nthere at that time,\" an Indonesian official recalled.<\/p>\n
Officially the ASEAN leaders have rejected Indonesia's
\nproposal to adopt a more flexible non-interference principle.
\nMahathir has less to lose as he retires this month. But other
\nleaders would surely have to expect neighbors calling for the
\nrelease of their jailed political prisoners, and many other
\nembarrassing issues.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bending-non-interference-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}