How should ASEAN treat Myanmar?<\/p>\n
By Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) has been caught in a dilemmatic situation in the past
\nyear. On one hand, there is the ambition to increase the
\norganization's membership to include all Southeast Asian
\ncountries. On the other hand, different views reign among its
\nmembers. Some desire an immediate realization of their ideal,
\nwhile others prefer to postpone it.<\/p>\n
The idea of joining all Southeast Asian countries in a forum
\nof cooperation has been there since the beginning. After the
\nkonfrontasi between Indonesia and Malaysia, with its impact on
\nall non-communist Southeast Asian countries, they had perceived
\nan ASEAN to ensure regional stability. They agreed that stability
\nwas the prerequisite for development in each country.<\/p>\n
However, until a few years ago, one could not talk freely
\nabout the idea. One reason was that views on ASEAN were divided
\nduring the Cold War era. The founding member countries believed
\nthat there was a role to be played by the regional grouping.
\nOther countries, like Vietnam, saw it as a tool of the United
\nStates. Burma (now Myanmar), whom Indonesia expected to join
\nASEAN from the beginning, shared this view, albeit citing an
\nunwillingness to get involved in the hostility between the U.S.
\nand China as its excuse.<\/p>\n
After the Cold War, however, things took a new twist. Last
\nyear, Vietnam became ASEAN's seventh member. Now, Cambodia, Laos
\nand Myanmar are willing to join in, possibly after observing
\nASEAN's achievements over nearly 30 years. Therefore, an ASEAN-10
\nbefore 2000 is no longer an illusion. There will be a time when
\nthe divided view of ASEAN will fade away.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, there are still obstacles, like Myanmar's
\nmembership. There is no common understanding among founding
\nmembers about it. Indonesia and Malaysia do not seem to harbor
\ndoubts about allowing Myanmar to join, unlike the Philippines and
\nThailand. The latter want Myanmar to democratize its political
\nsystem first as a prerequisite to membership. Unlike the ASEAN
\nSecretariat in Jakarta, opinions aired in Manila and Bangkok
\nsuggest that Myanmar's preparations are not as good as those made
\nby Cambodia and Laos.<\/p>\n
The barrier to Myanmar's entering ASEAN stems from the concern
\nof Western countries about its internal political situation. On
\nthe one hand, these champions of democracy perceive Myanmar's
\npolitical system as tantamount to a state of emergency. On the
\nother, they feel humiliated and openly challenged by its military
\nregime. This is understandable, considering that the State Law
\nand Order Restoration Council (SLORC) was set up in the wake of
\nthe student movement in September 1988, and is still there.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the West thinks there are no signs yet that
\nMyanmar will develop its political and economic system. Also, the
\nway SLORC is dealing with the pro-democracy movement under Aung
\nSan Suu Kyi's leadership has failed to win sympathy from Western
\ncountries. Instead of trying to understand the depth of the
\nproblems facing Myanmar, the West rejects the idea of offering
\nMyanmar observer status in ASEAN, let alone full membership.<\/p>\n
What should ASEAN deal with this issue? Is the argument of the
\nWest something to rely on?<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Malaysia's stance is right. Isolating Myanmar
\nwill not bring any good to the country. ASEAN leaders need to be
\nconvinced that Myanmar will improve a lot through its interaction
\nwithin ASEAN. And that development will push changes in Myanmar's
\npolitical condition and system in the direction desired by its
\npeople.<\/p>\n
ASEAN does not need to buy the West's point of view. Western
\ncountries have so far tended to be naive. Their assessment of
\nMyanmar and that of other Asian countries is often influenced by
\ntwo factors only: democracy and human rights. Apart from being
\nnaive, they are not impartial in applying those factors
\nconsistently to other prospective members of ASEAN. This may just
\nbe a case of arrogance, because they ignore the fact that the
\ndemocratization issue also plagues countries without pro-
\ndemocracy movements. Hence, their support of Vietnam for ASEAN
\nmembership.<\/p>\n
The objection of Myanmar's membership by the Philippines and
\nThailand does not have a strong basis. Both countries should be
\nreminded about the political situation in ASEAN countries when
\nthe organization was established nearly 30 years ago. We have
\nwitnessed how the countries developed into their present state.
\nIt is not impossible that such development will also take place
\nin Myanmar.<\/p>\n
The writer is a professor of social and political sciences at
\nthe University of Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>",
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