Abdurrahman speaks about non-interference

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

BATAM, Riau (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid, addressing the inaugural ASEAN People's Assembly, lauded the application of the principle of non-interference in the region.

To a gathering of some 300 representatives of the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the President pointed out on Saturday that in his official capacity he has to strictly abide by this principle which has served the group in good stead for so many years.

While acknowledging the growing demands to review the principle and the greater role of the non-state actors in the region, Abdurrahman argued that different conditions in the respective member states sometimes did not permit ideals held by one member country to foster in another.

Abdurrahman recounted that he was "very close" with jailed Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. However, ASEAN agreements do not permit interference in the internal affairs of member countries.

"I'm very close with Anwar Ibrahim, but when I became president I told Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad: 'I will not interfere in the matters of Malaysia'," he said.

"So when Anwar Ibrahim's wife came to Jakarta and requested to have breakfast with me, I did that but afterwards I told the Malaysian Ambassador that the breakfast was impossible for me to avoid but I would not take any action to interfere".

"Sometimes it should also be remembered that progress, or let's say reconciliation, in one part of ASEAN cannot be executed in another part."

ASEAN -- comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- has in recent years been under pressure to review or altogether drop its non-interference policy given the alleged human rights violations occurring in member states.

Among the most often cited examples by activists of political repression is the jailing of Anwar Ibrahim and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Such issues were among the talking points of the three-day ASEAN People's Assembly.

Organized by the ASEAN Institute for Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS), the Assembly, which began on Friday, aims to provide an avenue where people of the region can express their aspirations in an organization known to be a fraternity of government officials.

Abdurrahman remarked that he had personally informed the leader of Myanmar, Than Shwe, that he would not agree to Suu Kyi's call to boycott the country as that would probably do more direct damage than good.

Abdurrahman defended his stance by saying that different societies have not "developed" at the same pace.

"So this policy of non-interference should be followed because we have to understand the position in other societies ... this is important for people in ASEAN to know."

"We have our principles, but we have to adapt those principles to the development of each country as well as the development throughout ASEAN," the President said.

"Sometimes we can aide our friends, but sometimes we have to bear with the situation".

While voicing his official position as President, Abdurrahman also expressed some personal feelings. It was evident in the talk that he was somewhat torn on the matter, as he kept citing "friends" in several ASEAN countries who were being oppressed for their activities.

"Of course, as a democratic man I have to give sympathy to those who work for human rights ... Its a long way to have a truly democratic society," he said while citing a Chinese proverb that "a journey of a thousand paces begins with one step".

Nevertheless, he stressed that any societal change within a country must be launched and acted upon by the citizens of that country.

"As an individual I have my own views about Malaysia which I won't present here as it would only wreck the relations between Indonesia and Malaysia." (mds)