Reinventing ASEAN: Members need to request, or offer help
Reinventing ASEAN: Members need to request, or offer help
Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Singapore
When Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah opens the informal two-day
annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) in Bandar Sri Begawan on Monday, many of the leaders'
minds will be occupied with problems at home.
Some may be seeking inspiration to resolve their problems,
while others may hope to be able to give suggestions lest their
neighbors' problems affect them. But how would that be possible
given ASEAN's creed of "nonintervention"?
The summit itself has had increasingly little magnetism and
will be even more overshadowed by the issue of terrorism and the
presence of three prominent guests aside from the 10 leaders
themselves.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Japanese Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung will
most likely steal the show at Tuesday's summit session.
East Asian leaders have been invited to informal ASEAN summits
since 1997, aiming for better regional cooperation.
Despite the exigency brought on by the terrorism issue, and
the enthusiasm of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
in championing regional cooperation to combat terrorism, Megawati
may choose to leave matters to Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda. Megawati has recently attended the annual session of
the People's Consultative Assembly and is scheduled to be in
Brunei on Nov. 5 and 6.
Chia Siow Yue, director of the Singapore-based Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), remarked, "If I were the
Indonesian president, I would be more concerned about the
Indonesian community."
Speaking at the launching of a book, Reinventing ASEAN,
published by ISEAS here, Chia pointed out that the leaders should
use the summit to take major initiatives in enhancing regional
cooperation, including assisting country members who need help in
resolving their domestic difficulties.
"If they can't solve their problems on their own, they should
cooperate regionally," Chia suggested.
With various problems affecting the region, such as
Indonesia's forest fires and the economic crisis, more voices are
calling for a relaxation of ASEAN's holy noninterventionist
creed. In Reinventing ASEAN, Philippines expert Carolina G.
Hernandez writes, "Clearly, any domestic problem that crosses
national boundaries should be regarded as a regional problem and
the affected neighbors should be entitled to represent their
concerns to the source of the problem, as well as collaborate
with them jointly to solve it."
ASEAN originally comprised Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the
Philippines, Singapore and Brunei. Vietnam joined in 1995. Two
days later, Myanmar and Laos also joined. Cambodia became the
youngest and 10th member in 1999.
Once described as a model of regional cooperation and the
major author of Asian miracles, ASEAN is now regarded a lame
duck. The financial crisis that hit East Asia in 1997 severely
affected member nations.
Many even say that ASEAN is nearing irrelevance unless it is
able to readjust to the new global environment. "ASEAN has lost
its magic," CSIS executive Hadi Soesastro said.
Since its establishment in 1967, ASEAN was proud of its "ASEAN
way". Nonintervention is the principle relating to members'
domestic affairs, consensus on decision making and the
informality of its process and mechanism. The organization still
sticks to the above principle despite drastic global changes and
the emergence of young leaders in Indonesia, Thailand and the
Philippines.
The regional group practically did little to resolve Myanmar's
political crisis, when the military junta refused to hand over
its power to Aung San Suu Kyi despite her party's victory in the
1990 general elections.
Political upheavals and rampant security disturbances in
Indonesia, including the tragic incidents following the self-
determination referendum in East Timor in 1999, communal clashes
in Maluku and rebellions in Aceh, were all regarded as
Indonesia's internal matters. Yet instability in Indonesia has
long been taken to mean instability in the region.
The haze which blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and even Thailand
in 1997 and 1998, caused by forest fires in Sumatra and
Kalimantan, was also far from a disaster only affecting
Indonesia.
In July 1998, then Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan
proposed a relaxation of the nonintervention policy by adopting
"constructive intervention" or "flexible engagement". Only the
Philippines fully supported the idea.
At that time, foreign minister Ali Alatas commented, "If the
preposition is to replace the principle of nonintervention or to
tinker with it in any way, then Indonesia won't accept."
So will Megawati now be willing to share her problems with
other leaders and ask for their advice? Or will other more senior
figures, like Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and
Singapore's Goh Chok Tong, feel comfortable giving suggestions
without fearing that their intentions will be taken as
interference in Indonesia's domestic affairs?
The Brunei summit is expected to issue a joint communique on
ASEAN's plan to combat terrorist roots in the region. Arroyo's
leading role in the decision process of anti-terror attacks stems
from her determination to eradicate the Abu Sayyaf's terror
activities in the southern Philippines.
While Malaysia and Indonesia are also facing domestic
extremist groups, their leaders are treading carefully, as too
much enthusiasm would lead to accusations of being too pro-U.S.
But a mere exchange of information regarding terrorist
networks and other sensitive issues, and even statements, will be
of little significance unless leaders exchange views openly and
frankly.
Despite being ASEAN's newest leader, as the president of the
largest country member, Megawati can set an example by sharing
domestic problems with other leaders and inviting suggestions.
Other leaders will feel freer to raise their opinions if the
President shows that she is sincere about seeking assistance.
Expectations rest on ASEAN leaders, not only their foreign
ministers, to initiate new traditions where needed. In the case
of Indonesia, neighbors have long been reported as being nervous
about how Indonesia's crisis and conflicts might affect their
shores.
The first step for countries in need like Indonesia is the
willingness to talk of internal problems with neighbors. Such a
willingness will not only help the concerned country but also the
region.
Beyond issuing statements, leaders would then eventually prove
their commitment to sincere mutual assistance.