Encouraging ASEAN<\/p>\n
During the annual ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur this week,
\nincluding the ASEAN + 3 (China, Japan and South Korea) summit on
\nMonday and the first East Asia Summit on Wednesday, there were at
\nleast three interesting issues: ASEAN reproaching Myanmar, the
\ntension between Japan with China and South Korea, and the
\ndivergence of views on the modality of the East Asia Community.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it is the first time in its 38-year history that the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) leaders openly criticized
\nanother member about its human rights record. It was notable
\nbecause ASEAN normally rigidly sticks to the principle of
\nnoninterference, plus human rights is a highly sensitive issue
\nfor many members of the regional grouping.<\/p>\n
The leaders of the 10-member group in Kuala Lumpur on Monday
\nin no uncertain terms told the Myanmar junta that its rights
\nrecord was an embarrassment and demanded the release of
\nopposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained
\nvirtually since 1990. They also called for the release of other
\npolitical prisoners.<\/p>\n
After years of defending the junta, often almost shamelessly,
\nagainst repeated international outcry over its human rights
\nrecord, while at the same time expecting a miracle that the
\nmilitary regime would eventually \"repent\", ASEAN leaders finally
\nlost patience with and trust in the junta. Myanmar has seriously
\ndamaged ASEAN's international credibility with its brutal regime
\nwhile its generals display absolutely no remorse and allow ASEAN
\nto be continually embarrassed by it gross human rights
\nviolations.<\/p>\n
This time ASEAN said enough was enough.<\/p>\n
\"We also called for the release of those placed under
\ndetention,\" Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said in a
\nwritten statement after chairing the annual summit, which was
\nalso attended by Myanmar leader Gen. Soe Win.<\/p>\n
It is not unthinkable that in the near future ASEAN will
\nsuspend Myanmar's membership if Gen. Soe Win and his compatriot
\ngenerals continue to defy calls for change. The international
\ncommunity, meanwhile, is waiting for concrete results from
\nMyanmar.<\/p>\n
The regional leaders have set a precedent, although one day it
\ncould backfire against them if they do not follow through with
\naction against any defiance from Myanmar's generals.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, with international media paying more attention to
\nthe hard feelings between Japan, China and South Korea, it was
\nobvious that the legacies of World War II were haunting the Kuala
\nLumpur summit. Many people in this region are outraged by the
\nattitude of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who
\nadamantly refuses to stop visiting the Yasukini Shrine to pay
\nhomage to Japanese war victims, knowing full very well that China
\nand South Korea find this totally unacceptable.<\/p>\n
ASEAN should not allow itself to become a victim of other
\ncountries' disputes or conflict, especially when they are guests
\nat an ASEAN function. If the dispute between Japan, China and
\nSouth Korea is not settled amicably among themselves, other
\ncountries that have nothing to do with the dispute may suffer
\nmore than the conflicting parties. China and Japan have played,
\nand expect to continue to play, a pivotal role in the
\nsustainability of security in Asia, especially this part of it.
\nIt is in the interest of all that the two regional superpowers
\nhave harmonious relations.<\/p>\n
ASEAN is on the way to realizing its ambitious goal of
\ncreating the ASEAN Community by 2020. When Malaysian Prime
\nMinister Abdullah Badawi hosted the first East Asia Summit on
\nWednesday, ASEAN leaders expected their guests from China, Japan,
\nSouth Korea, Australia and India to help them accelerate the
\ncreation of the ASEAN Community. The East Asia summit will become
\na permanent part of the annual ASEAN summit.<\/p>\n
Eventually it will be enlarged to become the East Asia
\nCommunity (EAC) in which ASEAN hopes it will remain the driving
\nforce. In this context, the first priority should be the ASEAN
\nCommunity while preparations for the EAC can proceed in parallel.
\nHowever, it is understandable that the ASEAN guests have their
\nown interests to look after and will try to influence the
\ndirection of ASEAN even from the onset.<\/p>\n
In all, we congratulate Malaysia's leadership at the meeting
\nand deem it a successful summit, hopefully successful not just in
\nterms of ceremonial formality but also in substance.<\/p>",
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