The problem with Myanmar<\/p>\n
Reuters news agency quoted Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister
\nAnwar Ibrahim as saying the three Southeast Asian countries,
\nCambodia, Laos and Myanmar, can be admitted as full members in
\nASEAN only at the end of this year. It has been widely reported
\nthat the political situation currently prevailing in Myanmar is
\none of the reasons for this delay.<\/p>\n
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other activists of the
\nNational League for Democracy (NLD) have been continually
\nsubjected to improper treatment by the military regime when they
\nwere planning to hold a party congress. This congress was
\nintended to mark the anniversary of the NLD's victory in the
\ngeneral election seven years ago.<\/p>\n
The problem is that the military junta has refused to
\nrecognize the NLD's victory, and has violated all democratic
\nprinciples by annulling the election results, arresting
\ndissidents and establishing SLORC.<\/p>\n
International attention became increasingly fixed on Myanmar's
\nmilitary regime's demeanor when that country wanted to step up
\nits links with its Southeast Asian brothers within ASEAN. It must
\nbe admitted that in making its bid, Myanmar has been behaving as
\na well-behaved child. Thus, ASEAN began pursuing a policy of
\nconstructive engagement in the hope that this brotherly approach
\nand tedious diplomacy would help make SLORC see its own political
\nsins.<\/p>\n
However, four years have since gone by and the results have
\nbeen practically nil. All the slogans invented to support this
\npolicy have been easily punctured by the countries of the West
\nsimply by pointing out the human rights violence committed by the
\nSLORC. It may be well for the leaders of ASEAN, pending their
\ninformal meeting in December, to jointly work out a new approach
\nin their policy towards Myanmar.<\/p>\n
Surely, we are all familiar with what is referred to as the
\n\"ASEAN process\", which is full of compromises. This strong bent
\ntowards compromise can even be seen in the way we have turned
\nASEAN into a regional grouping which appeals to friendly
\ncountries in other parts of the world.<\/p>\n
What wrong, then, could there be in listening to our friend's
\nobjections to Myanmar's admission, this time as well? Rather than
\nengaging in an endless debate about the internal situation in
\nMyanmar, it would be better for us to try to accept the reality
\nthat we cannot escape the principle of linkage that governs
\nregional and international relations.<\/p>\n
-- Kompas, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-problem-with-myanmar-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }