Coping with a larger family

Now that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has given a new slant to the meaning of noninterference by admitting Burma (Myanmar) as one of its three new members, the next steps are eagerly awaited. Having engaged constructively the State Law And Order Restoration Council (SLORC), ASEAN may do well to begin to induce the illegitimate rulers of Burma into establishing formal and open contacts with the National League for Democracy, the legitimate and democratically elected government of Burma. The onus is now on ASEAN and ASEAN alone.

The admission of SLORC, as opposed to Burma, represents a victory for the ASEAN states which consider the junta's behavior palatable, which wanted tangible evidence of better behavior. ASEAN's chummy style, in which consensus is everything, is all very well because it ensures that no one makes waves in the grouping. But in Burma's case, Indonesia and Malaysia, the chief enthusiasts, have the luxury of distance. They have no common border with Burma, so they are not bothered by an endless flow of refugees and drugs. They take little interest in cross-border raids in which SLORC-backed renegades kill, rob or abduct people.

The ceremony next month to admit formally Burma, Cambodia and Laos will be a jolly occasion that will celebrate the realization of one big, happy family. There will be champagne, slaps on the back and photo-calls with national leaders holding hands and wearing exotic shirts in the manner of chorus girls. There is also the distinct possibility that the happy 10 will become something of a dysfunctional family unless the more progressive members grasp the formidable challenges that the three newcomers, and SLORC in particular, present.

-- The Bangkok Post