How should ASEAN treat Myanmar?

How should ASEAN treat Myanmar?

By Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin

SINGAPORE (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) has been caught in a dilemmatic situation in the past
year. On one hand, there is the ambition to increase the
organization's membership to include all Southeast Asian
countries. On the other hand, different views reign among its
members. Some desire an immediate realization of their ideal,
while others prefer to postpone it.

The idea of joining all Southeast Asian countries in a forum
of cooperation has been there since the beginning. After the
konfrontasi between Indonesia and Malaysia, with its impact on
all non-communist Southeast Asian countries, they had perceived
an ASEAN to ensure regional stability. They agreed that stability
was the prerequisite for development in each country.

However, until a few years ago, one could not talk freely
about the idea. One reason was that views on ASEAN were divided
during the Cold War era. The founding member countries believed
that there was a role to be played by the regional grouping.
Other countries, like Vietnam, saw it as a tool of the United
States. Burma (now Myanmar), whom Indonesia expected to join
ASEAN from the beginning, shared this view, albeit citing an
unwillingness to get involved in the hostility between the U.S.
and China as its excuse.

After the Cold War, however, things took a new twist. Last
year, Vietnam became ASEAN's seventh member. Now, Cambodia, Laos
and Myanmar are willing to join in, possibly after observing
ASEAN's achievements over nearly 30 years. Therefore, an ASEAN-10
before 2000 is no longer an illusion. There will be a time when
the divided view of ASEAN will fade away.

Nevertheless, there are still obstacles, like Myanmar's
membership. There is no common understanding among founding
members about it. Indonesia and Malaysia do not seem to harbor
doubts about allowing Myanmar to join, unlike the Philippines and
Thailand. The latter want Myanmar to democratize its political
system first as a prerequisite to membership. Unlike the ASEAN
Secretariat in Jakarta, opinions aired in Manila and Bangkok
suggest that Myanmar's preparations are not as good as those made
by Cambodia and Laos.

The barrier to Myanmar's entering ASEAN stems from the concern
of Western countries about its internal political situation. On
the one hand, these champions of democracy perceive Myanmar's
political system as tantamount to a state of emergency. On the
other, they feel humiliated and openly challenged by its military
regime. This is understandable, considering that the State Law
and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) was set up in the wake of
the student movement in September 1988, and is still there.

Furthermore, the West thinks there are no signs yet that
Myanmar will develop its political and economic system. Also, the
way SLORC is dealing with the pro-democracy movement under Aung
San Suu Kyi's leadership has failed to win sympathy from Western
countries. Instead of trying to understand the depth of the
problems facing Myanmar, the West rejects the idea of offering
Myanmar observer status in ASEAN, let alone full membership.

What should ASEAN deal with this issue? Is the argument of the
West something to rely on?

Indonesia and Malaysia's stance is right. Isolating Myanmar
will not bring any good to the country. ASEAN leaders need to be
convinced that Myanmar will improve a lot through its interaction
within ASEAN. And that development will push changes in Myanmar's
political condition and system in the direction desired by its
people.

ASEAN does not need to buy the West's point of view. Western
countries have so far tended to be naive. Their assessment of
Myanmar and that of other Asian countries is often influenced by
two factors only: democracy and human rights. Apart from being
naive, they are not impartial in applying those factors
consistently to other prospective members of ASEAN. This may just
be a case of arrogance, because they ignore the fact that the
democratization issue also plagues countries without pro-
democracy movements. Hence, their support of Vietnam for ASEAN
membership.

The objection of Myanmar's membership by the Philippines and
Thailand does not have a strong basis. Both countries should be
reminded about the political situation in ASEAN countries when
the organization was established nearly 30 years ago. We have
witnessed how the countries developed into their present state.
It is not impossible that such development will also take place
in Myanmar.

The writer is a professor of social and political sciences at
the University of Indonesia, Jakarta