Pressure on Myanmar

Pressure on Myanmar

The pariah state relinquishing next year's ASEAN chair is only a start -- it must do much more to reform itself. Myanmar has made a shrewd and calculated move to win over ASEAN by announcing its willingness to skip playing host to the groups annual meeting next year.

It is likely that by the end of next year, Myanmar will have a new government, albeit one elected under a junta-dictated constitution.

It will thus be payback time for ASEAN. Of course, the West and most of the world would condemn the outcome of such an election, which would surely give a majority of seats to the government and its affiliated parties. Then ASEAN will be faced with a dilemma in regard to recognizing the new regime as a legitimate representative of the people.

ASEAN and its individual governments must not rest on their laurels and think that ASEAN has polished its image with a minimum of fuss. Together, they must continue to heap pressure on Myanmar to open up the country and release Aung San Suu Kyi and the rest of the political prisoners being held.

The grouping's future relevance depends very much on how it can influence the situation in Myanmar for the better. -- The Nation, Bangkok