The refugee tragedy

The refugee tragedy

The outside world can feel nothing but pity for the thousands
fleeing the crisis in Indonesia. They end their voyage hauled
before the Singaporean and Malaysian courts and are punished with
a prison sentence or a caning.

But while a flotilla of boats, hundreds strong, is heading
towards their shores, it is equally hard not to sympathize with
the neighboring states struggling to cope with problems of their
own. It is a harsh way to discover that the deeply held Asian
philosophy of noninterference in each other's affairs may not
bear up under strain.

Perhaps, if ASEAN members had been vocal in urging Jakarta to
fulfill the obligations it agreed to when the IMF rescue package
was negotiated, the first steps toward recovery might have been
taken.

The focus now must be to contain the damage, before it sparks
a bitter dispute between neighbors.

The region cannot afford to risk further blows to stability,
and this situation has the potential to get out of hand quickly.

There can be no short-term answer to the problem and, clearly,
refugees will have to be repatriated. The real answer must lie
with President Soeharto and the IMF. An urgent compromise between
economic stringency and concern for social stability is sorely
needed.

-- South China Morning Post