Mahathir's Myanmar policy not just empty rhetoric<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, The Indonesian Quarterly,
\nCentre For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS)
\nbandoro@csis.or.id<\/p>\n
CPF Luhulima, Senior Fellow, CSIS and Member,
\nEminent Person Group for Asean Vision 2020
\nJakarta, luhulima@csis.or.id<\/p>\n
The issue of the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the
\nprodemocracy leader in Myanmar, has again forced foreign
\nministers from the regions of the Association of Southeast
\nNations (ASEAN) and Europe, convened in Bali last week to seek a
\ncommon approach to regional and global issues, to call on the
\nregime in Yangon to abide by its pledges to free Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
Though the issue of Myanmar did not overshadow other issues
\nkey to the region, it has strengthened the perception of ASEAN
\nand the European Union that Myanmar must move ahead with the
\ndemocratization process.<\/p>\n
The ministers underlined that the release of Suu Kyi would
\nrectify the current setbacks in democracy in the country. Both
\nASEAN and European countries share the same concern over Myanmar:
\nThe military junta has done a great deal of economic and social
\ndamage to its own country by ignoring the calls from the world.<\/p>\n
The issue of Myanmar does make a difference to the extent to
\nwhich European countries and ASEAN have so far been affected by
\nit. The concerns of European countries regarding Myanmar are
\nrelated particularly to the development of democracy and human
\nrights. Such concerns, however, have not in any way caused the
\nEuropean countries to react toward Myanmar differently from each
\nother. That is to say, Myanmar is less a policy problem for the
\nEuropean countries. It can only ask ASEAN to put more pressure on
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
Before and even after its inception into ASEAN, Myanmar was
\nalways a focus of debate within ASEAN. The rather slow
\ndevelopment of the democratization process within Yangon and the
\nseemingly uncooperative policy of the regime toward ASEAN have
\nput ASEAN's solidarity to a real test. Individual ASEAN
\ngovernments may indeed cherish human rights and democracy, but to
\npush these at any ASEAN forum risks disunity within ASEAN.<\/p>\n
Thus, Myanmar is indeed a real policy problem for ASEAN,
\nmeaning that its internal, as well as external, diplomacy have
\nbeen hampered by the issue of Myanmar. Of all the moves ASEAN has
\ninitiated over the years to make the association stronger and
\nits diplomacy more credible, admitting Myanmar has perhaps been
\na decision ASEAN has grown to regret the most. As one analyst
\nobserved, Myanmar's misbehavior has become a thorn in ASEAN's
\nflesh (Asiatime on line, 2003).<\/p>\n
That ASEAN has had to break with its tradition, at its recent
\nPhnom Penh meeting, of not criticizing the affairs of a member
\nstate, by urging the release of Suu Kyi, is a sign of its belief
\nthat democracy and human rights must be upheld and respected. The
\ncourage to break with tradition has also been motivated by
\nASEAN's concern at its international image and reputation. By the
\nunprecedented joint call for the release of Suu Kyi, ASEAN is
\nmaking a cooperative gesture toward its international partners.
\nBut Yangon has not responded to the expressions of concern by
\nmembers of the international community. In spite of pressure on
\nASEAN from outside the region, and the continued detention of Suu
\nKyi, ASEAN leaders have not lost patience with the generals in
\nYangon. Mahathir "fortunately" did.<\/p>\n
In a recent media interview, Mahathir suggested that Myanmar
\nbe expelled from ASEAN. Mahathir's idea has come at a time when
\nASEAN is attempting to demonstrate to the world its political
\ncohesiveness and solidarity, particularly during the threat of
\nglobal terrorism, which is thought to have caused division within
\nthe association. Mahathir's suggestion has put ASEAN's political
\ncohesiveness and solidarity to another real test.<\/p>\n
With such a suggestion, Mahathir might have wanted to see
\nASEAN move faster in its handling of the Myanmar issue and
\nthought that the unprecedented call by ASEAN was politically
\ninsufficient to change the behavior of the regime in Yangon.
\nMahathir's idea might have been dictated by the fact that ASEAN's
\ninternational policy was held hostage by the generals in Yangon.
\nHe also observed that the generals in Yangon were probably using
\nthe association as a shield for their unwavering political
\nstance.<\/p>\n
It is not at all clear that other ASEAN members want to expel
\nMyanmar. But Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda was
\nreported as saying that isolating Myanmar would not resolve the
\nstandoff and that ASEAN should not depart from the existing
\nASEAN's minister statement issued in Phnom Penh. This has always
\nbeen a classic argument put forward by Indonesia and certain
\nmembers of ASEAN, when ASEAN has been faced with a thorny issue
\nlike Myanmar. Indonesia, instead, will send special envoy Ali
\nAlatas to convey a message from President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nto the Myanmar junta regarding the deteriorating situation there.<\/p>\n
Whatever option ASEAN may adopt regarding the issue of
\nMyanmar, Mahathir's remarks should be seen as a kind of reminder
\nthat ASEAN be more assertive in its policy toward Yangon. ASEAN
\nhas no choice but to act promptly if its international diplomacy
\nand stand is not to be badly affected further by the Myanmar
\ncase. The expulsion of Myanmar from ASEAN seems unlikely to take
\neffect immediately. Just as the decision to admit Myanmar was
\nreached through consensus, its expulsion has to be done in a
\nsimilar manner.<\/p>\n
But the idea has already caused further division within ASEAN.
\nThis has always been the case when one member of the association
\nproposes policy options, but the given policy does not seem to
\nsuit other members. This is, however, to be expected. But when
\nit comes to something that touches the essence of democracy,
\nASEAN's policy should be firm and consistent.<\/p>\n
In any event, the obligation to press for systematic and
\ncomprehensive change in Myanmar is now in ASEAN's court, not the
\nworld's, and it has to learn how to do so quickly. Otherwise, by
\nvirtue of its being an international governmental organization,
\nASEAN might as well accept the fact it cannot play a significant
\nrole in the Myanmar case. ASEAN should genuinely liberate itself
\nfrom being held hostage by Myanmar for so long.<\/p>",
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