ASEAN needs clear policy on Myanmar

ASEAN needs clear policy on Myanmar

Myanmar became an observer at the seven-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations over the weekend. Political scientist J.
Soedjati Djiwandono examines ASEAN's policy of constructive
engagement toward Yangon.

JAKARTA (JP): Myanmar poses a delicate problem for ASEAN.
Especially in the face of pressure brought to bear by the United
States and the European Union, which would both like to see ASEAN
fall into line with their policy on Myanmar because of the
country's abuses of human rights. ASEAN states, however, have
maintained their traditional policy of noninterference in the
domestic affairs of other countries.

In today's world, however, which is increasingly open,
interlinked and interdependent, it is not always easy to draw the
line between what is strictly a domestic affair of a nation and
what should be the concern of humankind, and thus of the
international community. The holocaust perpetrated by Hitler was
condemned by the whole civilized world. So was the ethnic
cleansing of the Bosnians by the Serbs.

Yet sometimes a nation's pragmatic considerations that relate
to its short-term interests take precedence. The outcry against
the Tienanmen Square massacre did not last long, and the
international community has continued to court China. And during
the Cambodian conflict, ASEAN continued to support the Khmer
Rouge, despite world-wide condemnation of its genocidal policy
against their own people. Hypocrisy and double standards are not
the monopoly of any one nation, big or small. Only the pretexts
may be different.

Thus ASEAN's maintenance of its policy of not interfering and
even not criticizing Myanmar is, according to Foreign Minister
Ali Alatas, a "cardinal rule", which goes back to the Asia-
African conference and to the cardinal rules contained in the
charter of the United Nations. It is not something that ASEAN has
invented.

I am, however, concerned about the possibility that ASEAN
states' reticence over Myanmar is basically due to a tacit
recognition that their own records on human rights, for instance
as far as Indonesia is concerned, are not particularly brilliant.

One may take note of the number of times the New Order
government has banned various publications, even in recent times,
and also the current persecution and harassment of the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) under the leadership of Megawati
Soekarnoputri, recognizing only the "legal" PDI of its own
sponsorship.

Accurately or otherwise, one may easily be tempted to compare
Megawati Soekarnoputri to Aung San Suu Kyi. Indeed, the ASEAN
states themselves should first put their own houses in order. Who
are we otherwise to criticize the Myanmarese?

Thus caught between the pressure for the pursuit of a somewhat
extreme policy of economic sanctions on and isolation of Myanmar
and practically "no policy" of non-interference, ASEAN seems
afraid of tackling the dilemma by the horns. It would rather try,
again according to Minister Alatas, to help through "constructive
engagement", meaning, that the ASEAN states would try, as fellow
Southeast Asians, to "show our understanding and support for a
peaceful reconciliation among the people of Myanmar."

As Minister Alatas himself has been reported as saying,
constructive engagement does not mean "turning a blind eye to
developments that could be detrimental to the country, because
any negative development could affect the whole region."

This, however, must be made unmistakably clear to the
Myanmarese regime, especially now that their country has been
granted observer status in ASEAN and thus participation in the
ARF.

It is not that ASEAN is trying to teach the Myanmarese a
lesson on how to manage their internal affairs. But a clear
expression of common concern would reflect our sympathy and
understanding as fellow Southeast Asians.

And more importantly, despite our imperfections, just as with
the rest of the world, we Southeast Asians should demonstrate our
commitment to universal values in the common interests of
humankind.

Indeed, "constructive engagement" should not imply turning a
blind eye to what goes wrong, or burying heads in the sand and
pretending that everything is fine and in good order.

And this needs to be clearly translated into policy. In
pursuing a policy towards Myanmar, not only should ASEAN take
into account the possible impact on its relations with the United
States and the European Union on a pragmatic level, but it should
also maintain its credibility and respectability in the
international community by adhering to certain internationally
accepted standards and norms of behavior.

The writer is a member of the Board of Directors at the Centre
for Strategic and International Studies.