ASEAN : Leave Well Enough Alone (r)

[mikio@xxxxxxxxx]

M. Eastman should know that human rights (HR) is rapidly becoming an
international norm by which the performance of a government is assessed by
the international community. Just consider the following statement:

"The CSCE [Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe] established
that a country systematically violating the fundamental liberties of its
own citizens could not be internationally trusted and should even be
considered as a potential threat to other countries" (from OSCE website at:
http://www.osceprag.cz/info/facts/history.htm). (Because of this principle,
European states can intervene in each other's domestic affairs when
democracy and human rights are at stake.) 

Also, recollect cases in which SLORC/SPDC has behaved in violation of
international/regional code of conduct. Apart from the junta's famous
"export" of refugees, drugs, Aids, prostitutes and even troops outside
national boundaries, the following episode tells something typical about
the regime:

***************
Burma Warms Thai Officials Keep Away from Suu Kui
BANGKOK, May 15, 1997 (Reuter) - 

"Burma's military leaders have imposed restrictions on visiting Thai
officials warning them to stay clear of the street on which opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi lives, a Thai government official said on Thursday.

"The Thai foreign ministry received a warning letter from Burma's State Law
and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) on Wednesday, two days before premier
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh was due to make an official visit to Burma, the
officials said."
??..

"``The letter has totally proven that SLORC does not care at all about
improving relations with its neighbour,'' the official told Reuters.

"``The Burmese obviously feel insecure about their own system if they are
so concerned about Suu Kyi,'' he said.

"``We know they will monitor and follow us on every movement. I know that
they followed me when I visited Rangoon but there is no need to issue an
official letter warning us, telling us where we should not go and whom we
should not contact.''

"This is apparently the first time SLORC has sent such a warning to state
guests."
  
***************

Does not the situation in and around Burma support the universal truth of
the CSCE statement? 

Isn't it much better and contributing to regional stability if ASEAN deals
with a group of people who know how to trust, respect and consult with each
other (these are also some of the fundamental ASEAN values) rather than
those who are fundamentally insecure and suspicious of others, interpret
every trivial move as a threat to themselves and only know how to fight?

Mikio


----------
> From: OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx
> To: Recipients of burmanet-l <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: ASEAN :  Leave Well Enough Alone
> Date: 25 July 1998 6:34
> 
>                                         ASEAN :  Leave Well Enough Alone
> 
>                                                   (by M. Eastman)
> 
> Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan
> has proposed that ASEAN depart from its
> fundamental policy of non-interference in the
> internal affairs of member states.  The proposal
> is anathema to the regional grouping.
> 
> 
> 
> 	
> 	Thailand's Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan has proposed that the
Association
> of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) change its traditional policy of non-
> interference in each other's affairs.  
> 
> 	Surin's initiative termed, "Flexible Engagement' is supposed to serve as
an
> early-warning system for ASEAN members of the "gravity of certain
> domestically-generated transnational or international problems,"
according to
> his deputy, Sukhumbhad Paribatra.  The Thai proposal  is being considered
by
> the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their Meeting in Manila this week. 
However, it
> is certain that the proposal which tantamounts to tinkling with the very
> principles on which the association is founded will be roundly rejected.
> 
> 	It is one thing  for Thailand to actively search for ways and means to
> overcome problems such as narcotics trafficking and the haze and smoke
problem
> that transcend national boundaries  but  quite another to suggest that
ASEAN
> members be able to intervene in each other's domestic affairs.  
> 
> 	Obviously, Thailand has not considered fully the ramifications of its
> proposal.First and foremost no nation can accept any measure that
curtails its
> sovereignty.  The right to fashion one's own destiny is sacrosanct  and
will
> always be guarded jealously.  Nothing contained in the Bangkok
Declaration
> made 31 years ago at the founding of ASEAN, authorizes the association to
> intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic
jurisdiction of
> member states.  That ASEAN has blossomed into a successful regional
grouping
> of 9 nations- soon to be 10 when Cambodia comes on board - is due in no
small
> measure to the fact that the cardinal principle of non-intervention in
> internal affairs has always been scrupulously observed.  
> 	
> 	In its 31 years of existence ASEAN has remained strong and united
because it
> has never deviated from its aims and purposes:
> 
> 	-	to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural
development
> in the region through joint
>            endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order
to
> strengthen the foundation for a prosperous
>            and peaceful community of South-East Asian Nations;
> 
> 	-	to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for
justice
> and the rule of law in the
>            relationship among countries of the region and adherence to
the
> principles of the United Nations Charter;
> 
> 	-	to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of
common
> interest in the economic,
>            social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative
fields;
> 
> 	-	to provide assistance to each other in the form of training and
research
> facilities in the educational,
>            professional, technical and administrative spheres;
> 
> 	-	to collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization of their
> agriculture and industries, the expansion of
>             their trade, including the study of the	problems of
international
> commodity trade, the improvement of their		transportation and
communications
> facilities and the raising of the living standards of their peoples;
> 
> 	-	to promote South-East Asian studies;
> 
> 	-	to maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing
> international	and regional organizations with
>            similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even
closer
> cooperation among themselves.
> 
> 	Secondly, it should be noted that Southeast Asia is currently buffeted
by a
> financial crisis and needs to work together to overcome adversity.  This
is no
> easy challenge given the ethnic, religious and historical differences
that
> must be overcome.  ASEAN's record of promoting peace and prosperity in
the
> region would suffer an irreparable blow if Thailand's controversial
proposal
> was to be adopted.  At this critical juncture, nothing should be done to
rock
> the boat.  In fact every endeavour must be made to foster greater
confidence
> among member states.
> 
> 	Thirdly, it should be realized  that the creation of regional groupings,
such
> as the ASEAN, demands extraordinary vision, diplomatic skills and
> statesmanship.  A history of strife and rivalry requires even greater
care to
> ensure that once created the organization thrives.
> 	
> 	 "Flexible Engagement" is an ill-considered proposal that deserves to be
> shelved before it erodes confidence among ASEAN members.  
> 
> 	Notwithstanding its shortcomings, ASEAN has been a success story.  Leave
well
> enough alone before ASEAN is turned into a house of babel ! 
> 
> 
> 
> ************************************