Timely interference<\/p>\n
Old habits die hard in countries where conservatism is
\nentrenched, but recent events promise to push the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN), toward a more interventionist
\napproach to members' domestic affairs.<\/p>\n
The past months have made the long-held noninterference tenet
\nsomething of a nonstarter. Delegates to the ministerial meeting
\nin the Philippines this week will find it hard to avoid that
\nconclusion. No matter what form of words they choose to disguise
\nany policy shift, or how forcefully older leaders like Malaysian
\nPrime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad resist, the organization
\ncannot cleave to outdated procedures for much longer.<\/p>\n
When refugees pour across borders and factional fighting
\nspills into neighboring countries; when the haze from Indonesian
\nfires brings Malaysian cities to a standstill, the troubles of
\nother nations inevitably become one's own. But the real clincher
\nis contained in the proposals for the week's agenda: urging
\nCambodia to ensure free and fair elections, formulating a
\nstatement condemning the nuclear arms race between India and
\nPakistan, signing a joint declaration heralding a move toward a
\ndrug-free ASEAN.<\/p>\n
With Burma (Myanmar) newly in their ranks, and traffickers as
\nactive as ever in the Golden Triangle between Thailand, Burma and
\nLaos, that aim may prove unrealistic, but none of these goals can
\nbe achieved without harsh criticism of member states, so the old
\nfacade of consensus seems fated to crumble. Second Prime Minister
\nHun Sen lashed out at ASEAN in January for admitting Burma, while
\npreaching democracy and human rights to Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Few members are in a position to preach about either, and life
\nfor the Burmese has not improved since it was welcomed into the
\nfold. In more practical matters, however, timely interference
\nmight have helped to contain problems of economy, ecology and
\nhealth which spread between countries until the whole region was
\nsick.<\/p>\n
-- South China Morning Post, Hong Kong<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/timely-interference-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }