Myanmar bugging

Recently, it was suspected that the Indonesian embassy in Yangon was bugged by the Yangon military junta, which would pose a challenge to ASEAN's "Constructive Engagement" approaches to Myanmar's junta. Djoko Susilo, a legislator of Indonesia's House Commission I for foreign affairs, said an investigation by a combined security team at the embassy found a bugging device in the wall of the ambassador's office.

This could also happen to foreign diplomatic missions, UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations. No one knows how many Yangon-based foreign embassies and missions have been bugged by the military junta.

In March, 2003, Paulo Pinherio, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar exposed a bugging device during an interview with a political prisoner at a notorious Insein prison. He was angry and frustrated; the bugging incident had contravened assurances he had been given by the junta before he arrived in Myanmar.

Even Mahathir Mohamad said that military gangs should be expelled from the ASEAN bloc: "We are very disappointed over these things and, of course, we have done our very best to try to get them to change their minds. But if they are willing to defy the world, then what can Malaysia do?" he said.

The Yangon military junta has made ASEAN many promises. It followed its suggestions on economic liberalization and privatization, but not on national reconciliation and democratization.

It's time to change ASEAN's "Constructive Engagement" and move toward productive foreign policy.

NAING KO, Patuntani, Thailand