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.