Clashes of new ASEAN and old Myanmar

Clashes of new ASEAN and old Myanmar

U Ne Oo, Adelaide

In recent months, there have been growing voices against
Myanmar taking up her ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) chairmanship. As things stand, Myanmarese military junta
will take up the chairmanship position of ASEAN, which rotates
alphabetically, in July 2006. The lawmakers within ASEAN
countries are concerned that Myanmar may not fit to assume
chairmanship due to continuing political repression and lack of
progress on democratization.

The United States and European Countries have make known of
their opposition to Myanmarese junta taking the ASEAN
chairmanship; and may boycott all meeting with ASEAN while the
junta has been in the chairman position. Myanmar pro-democracy
groups have also been campaigning for the suspension of economic
aid to ASEAN should Myanmar take up the chairmanship.

Myanmar joined ASEAN regional grouping in 1997 amid
international protests from pro-democracy and human rights
groups.

Historically, the ASEAN group was formed in 1960s cold-war era
with the views to counter the growing threat communism in
Southeast Asia and also to put strategic counter balance on
China. As the cold-war has ended in 1990s and China increasingly
opening, the ASEAN regional group's policy focus appear to have
shifted into fostering a better relationship on trade and
economics ties within its member states and the rest of the
world. Since the member countries share as much similarities in
their cultures, the ASEAN also seeks to form a common social bond
within its communities.

Notably in 1995-1997 while ASEAN was courting Myanmar to join
its membership, the leadership of ASEAN publicly played, rightly
or wrongly, against the growing influence of China over Myanmar.
However, China did not object to Myanmar joining the ASEAN in
1997. This may indicates a gradual moving away of an old
perception of ASEAN as a mere proxy organization of the West for
the cold war. Such notion of "New ASEAN" has been reinforced by
the group's increasing focus on regional solidarity as well as on
the issues of social, economics and culture within.

Traditionally, the ASEAN exercises non-interference in the
internal political issues of its own members. Recent action from
ASEAN lawmakers regarding with Myanmar chairmanship reflects
ASEAN?s growing self confident as a viable regional organization.
This move also reflects the changes in last decade in political
landscape within ASEAN countries of that are now more open and
democratic.

Current ASEAN's move on Myanmar also reflected its member
countries growing sense of urgency for solving political deadlock
in Myanmar. In June 2003, soon after the military government
crackdown on opposition National League for Democracy, the former
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called for a review of
Myanmar membership for ASEAN. Recent chorus of expression of
concern by ASEAN countries about Myanmar chairmanship was
followed soon after the November 2004 military coup. It remains
to be seen how the military junta will respond these concerns and
whether ASEAN?s message of urgency has got through to the
generals in Rangoon.

The writer is a Myanmarese political exile living in Adelaide,
South Australia and can be reached at druneoo @adam.com.au