Crackdown in Myanmar haunts ASEAN-10 dream

By Rizal Sukma

JAKARTA (JP): The recent crackdown on pro-democracy movements by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) regime in Myanmar will complicate ASEAN's task of realizing the ASEAN-10.

It has been widely speculated that the ASEAN-10 idea would become a reality during the 30th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), scheduled to take place in Malaysia in July.

It is expected that Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar would become full ASEAN members. Reports on SLORC's action to arrest more than 250 members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi will again bring the process under the spotlight.

The realization of the ASEAN-10 constitutes an important symbol for the continuation of ASEAN's "success story" as a regional organization. In this regard, ASEAN's credibility as an organization is able to transform itself as a vehicle for cooperation among regional states, regardless of which political systems will be enhanced.

But the expansion of membership will also bring about new challenges. The main challenge facing ASEAN concerns the association's readiness to maintain its credibility and image in the international society due to Myanmar's membership.

The question of Myanmar's membership in ASEAN is a controversial issue. There have been differences in opinion on whether this country is "suitable" or not to become a member of ASEAN. These differences can be found not only between ASEAN and Western countries but also among ASEAN member countries themselves. At issue here is the current situation in Myanmar's domestic political developments, especially regarding SLORC's attitude and policies toward the pro-democracy movement in the country.

The West, especially the U.S. and the European Union, views Myanmar as a pariah state which violates almost all fundamental norms and rules held by the international society. SLORC's rejection of the result of general elections won by the opposition led by Aung San Suu Kyi is considered an unacceptable action to any internationally-agreed values and norms.

The West's negative perception of Myanmar has been made worse by accusations of a widespread violation of human rights in the country. In the eyes of the West, the SLORC regime in Myanmar is a regime against human rights and democracy.

For all its "sins", the West maintains Myanmar is a country that deserves punishment through a series of economic and trade sanctions, not to be invited to regional cooperation or involved in the economic and political dynamism in the region. Cooperation with SLORC is considered a denial of fundamental principles of post-Cold War international relations, which no longer rests upon political realism alone, but also on the responsibility of states to observe ethics, morals, and other normative values. Therefore, ASEAN's willingness to accept Myanmar's membership has been quite puzzling to Western countries.

For ASEAN, a country's domestic political situation should not be a criteria for membership. In fact, ASEAN was established in 1967 on the principle of respect to non-interference in internal affairs of member countries. Moreover, ASEAN holds the view that the domestic political situation in Myanmar can be improved by involving the country in the dynamics of regional cooperation.

A confrontational approach such as imposing economic sanctions or isolation will not resolve ASEAN's problem, because, in the end, it is the Myanmarese who will suffer the most. ASEAN expects that through "constructive engagement", the SLORC regime will eventually become more open and flexible in solving its own domestic political problems.

Even though ASEAN countries hold a common position on the significance of Myanmar's membership, this does not mean that all member countries agree on how to implement such a common position. Implicitly, ASEAN acknowledges that it is difficult to justify what is happening in Myanmar at present. For example, Thailand and the Philippines had previously expressed their "cautious acceptance" of, if not objection to, Myanmar's early membership in ASEAN. The fact there would be a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur on May 31 to discuss the issue also indicates that there is still a problem that needs to be solved.

It is likely that ASEAN will face a delicate challenge in maintaining its positive image as the most successful regional organization. The question of Myanmar's membership, especially due to international pressures, will create a dilemma for ASEAN and place it somewhere between non-interference and the international image.

There are two aspects of the issue that might complicate ASEAN's position in the international stage. First, Myanmar's membership in ASEAN will be seen by the West as a sign of the lack of commitment to human rights and democracy among ASEAN countries.

This will further complicate the existing differences between ASEAN and the West over the nature and the implementation of human rights and democracy.

Second, the inclusion of Myanmar into ASEAN will also affect the dialog between ASEAN and the West, especially in terms of the latter's objection to deal with the SLORC regime in official meetings such as ASEAN-EU and ASEAN-Post Ministerial Meeting (PMC).

Therefore, is ASEAN prepared to demonstrate that Myanmar's membership is intended to promote change in the country? Such a mission should become ASEAN's main agenda. If not, ASEAN will also be seen as part of the problem, not as part of the solution, to Myanmar's domestic political problems.

It is in this context that a greater understanding of the SLORC regime is expected. Excessive measures taken by SLORC in curbing the NLD's political influence in Myanmar will be counterproductive for SLORC and bring about a new challenge to the smooth realization of the ASEAN-10.

Such action will also complicate ASEAN's role in convincing the international community that Southeast Asian nations have their own ways to solve problems.

The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta.