ASEAN and Aung San Suu Kyi

That the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) seems to be breaking with the tradition of not criticizing the internal affairs of member states by calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi is certainly obvious progress towards more transparency and credibility in solving ASEAN-related problems. Of course, I could not agree more with Mahathir Mohamad's statement that "we are not criticizing Myanmar for doing what is not related to us, but what they have done has affected us, our credibility." (Jakarta Post, July 21).

This is a correct statement indicating how nations are becoming borderless. The junta must have been shocked by ASEAN's move, especially by Mahathir's strong statement that "Myanmar might have to be expelled from ASEAN" (the Post, July 21). At least, this is a serious reminder to the generals to not use this organization to protect their vested interests and for thinking cautiously before committing any action that could affect its neighbors and ASEAN credibility.

This effort of trying to be frank to each other is a significant move in finding the best formula for a ASEAN problem solving mechanism. After all, ASEAN is still a maturing organization, still finding its own way. And it should be admitted too that most of its members are not democratic countries.

Thailand and Indonesia have enjoyed considerable degrees of democracy, while the rest, including Malaysia and Singapore, despite their status as economic powerhouses, have not. For example, what Malaysia and Singapore did to their internal "political enemies" is just as embarrassing as what the Myanmar junta has done to Aung San Suu Kyi, with different forms of action indeed. Malaysia and Singapore have silenced their oppositions by using "legal" weapons, while the Myanmar junta have used a combination of violence and legality.

One probably argues that democracy must start at home first: How can you make ASEAN democratic if most of its members are not? However, judging from the current situation it might be possible to start to nurture democratic traditions by being frank to each other first at ASEAN level, and then perhaps going down gradually to the nation level, especially with the non-democratic countries.

If Malaysia and Singapore think that their criticism of Myanmar would make us forget what they have done to their own political opponents, they are certainly wrong, too. Malaysia and Singapore and other members must also be ready to be reminded and criticized by each other, no matter how strong their economic power is or how high their level of seniority is.

ALPHA AMIRRACHMAN, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan