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