Is ASEAN irrelevant or incapable; What is the matter with them.
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Burma tests ASEAN's legitimacy - Colby Pacheco
To critics of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Burma
has long served as proof of the organization's ineffectuality. For
decades, the country's ruling junta has suppressed democracy, oppressed
its people, and ignored global calls to observe human rights. ASEAN member
nations have previously been reluctant to apply economic sanctions to
Burma because of a founding agreement not to intervene in the affairs of
fellow members.
But with the current trial of democracy advocate and opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi drawing widespread international condemnation, ASEAN once
again faces a critical test in its quest for legitimacy. The time is now
ripe for ASEAN to pressure the Burmese regime to accept the organization's
governing terms, by cutting off its economic support to the country.
Strategic economic sanctions targeted at Burma could help bring down the
military junta that rules the nation. More importantly, penalizing Burma
will demonstrate to member nations and the world that ASEAN is a
legitimate and effective regional organization.
ASEAN was founded in 1967 to accelerate economic growth, increase social
progress, and foster cultural development in Southeast Asia. Sensitive to
the cultural and political differences in neighboring countries, ASEAN
sought to achieve its stated objectives through mutual respect for the
independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national identity of
all members. These principles, referred to as the "ASEAN Way," are
exemplified in ASEAN's policy of non-interference in the activities of its
member nations.
But recent changes to the exact wording of ASEAN's founding charter now
require member nations to govern according to certain principles --
including the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and the
promotion of social justice. By any measure, the military junta that rules
Burma has not complied with any of the principles described in the ASEAN
charter.
Since its induction into ASEAN in 1997, Burma has been the proverbial
elephant in the room, with member states reluctant to discuss, let alone
confront, the country's regime. Perhaps ASEAN was hoping that
circumstances would improve over time. Unfortunately, the opposite has
proven true: Humanitarian conditions have only deteriorated in Burma over
the last few decades.
In September 2007, the junta ordered soldiers to fire on Buddhist monks,
who were peacefully protesting throughout the country in an appeal for a
more democratic society. After Cyclone Nargis made landfall in southern
Burma in April 2008, the junta blocked large amounts of foreign aid and
disaster relief. Now the government has charged democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi with violating the terms of her house arrest. The trial is viewed
as a sham by the international community and serves as a reminder to ASEAN
that the military junta is out of step with its principles.
Suu Kyi and members of Burma's democracy movement have repeatedly called
for international sanctions on the junta. But most countries in the
developed world can do embarrassingly little to punish Burma because of
the lack of ties they maintain. ASEAN nations, on the other hand, are
among Burma's largest trading partners, giving them leverage that Western
nations and international organizations like the United Nations lack.
Thailand alone purchases more than 44 percent of Burma's total output each
year. Exploiting such leverage could pressure the junta to either conform
to the terms of the ASEAN charter or risk regime collapse.
Given that China is Burma's largest non-ASEAN trading partner, it would be
important -- though not vital -- to gain Beijing's support for any
sanctions that ASEAN applies. At current levels, China could likely
continue its trade with Burma without negating the effects of ASEAN
sanctions. Should it choose to increase trade and aid, on the other hand,
China could keep Burma's military regime afloat by itself. But it would
take a substantial increase in its current levels of trade, and would
unambiguously undermine ASEAN sanctions in such a way that China would
have to answer to the international community.
There are many voices within the ASEAN community that decry economic
sanctions targeted at Burma, arguing that they will not affect the leaders
of the junta, but will instead only add to the burdens of the country's
suffering citizens. But a quick glance at the country's budget priorities
demonstrates that this is not the case. Burma's junta, for example, spends
merely 1.4 percent of its GDP on health and education. By putting an end
to the steady stream of income into the junta's pockets, ASEAN can send a
strong message that the organization will not tolerate the deplorable
government of the ruling generals.
In a sign of strengthening resolve, the Singapore government announced
last month that "expelling Burma from ASEAN isn't the way to bring about
reform in the military-ruled nation, even if it tarnishes the group's
credibility." Instead, Singapore ratcheted up its stance on Burma this
past week by declaring, "no new investment without reform." If it follows
through, Singapore could pave the way for other ASEAN governments to
impose economic sanctions on Burma. At the very least, according to some
analysts, Singapore's declaration signals an end to the old, commercially
motivated indulgence of the junta.
If ASEAN can agree to level economic sanctions against the dictatorship,
it can simultaneously pressure the government while putting itself on the
path towards international legitimacy. Continued failure to take action,
on the other hand, could render the organization irrelevant at a time when
regional coordination by a legitimate governing body is needed to address
the challenges of the future. As Burma's chief trading partners and
neighbors, only ASEAN members can apply effective pressure to the
oppressive military regime. Time has run out. ASEAN must finally confront
its most daunting challenge.
Colby Pacheco is a Research Fellow for Asia Chronicle. The views expressed
are his own. He can be reached at rese...@asiachroniclenews.com.
Monster
ASEAN should be disbanded .
> are his own. He can be reached at resea...@asiachroniclenews.com.