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