Suu Kyi alarmed over Myanmar being in ASEAN

Suu Kyi alarmed over Myanmar being in ASEAN

BANGKOK (Reuter): Myanmar's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has warned that the country's military rulers could become "even more obdurate and oppressive" if the country is admitted to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Suu Kyi, speaking in a recent video interview released yesterday, said that Myanmar, under the rule of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), would be no credit to ASEAN and called on the seven-nation group to engage with her National League for Democracy (NLD).

Her taped interview with the Alternative ASEAN Network on Myanmar, which was smuggled out of the country, was released two days before an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Malaysia on when to admit the country along with Cambodia and Laos.

"Burma (Myanmar) under SLORC is not going to be any credit to ASEAN," the Nobel laureate said.

"I think what Burma risks, what the people of Burma risk, is the possibility that admission into ASEAN will make SLORC even more obdurate and oppressive than ever," she added.

The authorities this week thwarted NLD plans for a mass meeting at Suu Kyi's house to mark the anniversary of its 1990 landslide election win, which was not recognized by SLORC.

Security around her Yangon home was relaxed yesterday as barbed wire barricades and riot police were withdrawn, leaving a checkpoint and "no entry" road signs.

There was no word on the 316 party supporters, including about 50 members of parliament, who the NLD says were arrested in a nationwide swoop to prevent the congress taking place.

The government denies charges it has detained party members and has asked the NLD to prove its claims.

Suu Kyi told Alternative ASEAN Network, a non-governmental organization, that ASEAN should engage with both the SLORC and her party because it had won legitimacy in elections.

"I think if ASEAN is truly interested in constructive engagement it should try to engage with both sides in Burma ... and make sure the engagement leads to something constructive in the way of development towards democracy," she said.

Diplomats said it was a close call on whether ASEAN nations Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand would admit the three new members at a ministerial meeting on July 24 to July 25 or at an informal summit in December.

Officials said concern over Myanmar's human rights record and political strife in Cambodia could mean foreign ministers decide to opt for delay when they meet in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

ASEAN has said it wants to admit all three together.

The United States has asked ASEAN to delay Myanmar's entry because of its human rights record and the suppression of Suu Kyi's movement.

ASEAN nations have objected to what they see as Washington's interference in its affairs. However, Western diplomats say recent signs of instability in Myanmar, including moves to stop the NLD congress, had caused some to rethink.