The Nation - Asean sees no evil in

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The Nation

Asean sees no evil in Burma

Asean should change its thinking of Burma, address its ''constructive
engagement'' and help free the 50 million people held hostage by the
military junta, writes Aung Zaw. 

IN June, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan proposed the ''flexible
engagement'' policy saying the Asean members need to discuss existing
problems more openly and frankly. 

Although the proposal did not receive a warm welcome at the Asean Summit in
Manila, Burma's democrats, including ordinary Burmese who listened to
foreign broadcasts, quietly showed a keen interest and welcomed it. 

The reason: few Burmese except the ruling junta known as the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC) support Asean's controversial and unpopular
''constructive engagement'' policy. 

Burma joined the regional club last year despite strong noisy protests in
the West, and from human rights activists in the region and the opposition
inside and outside of the country. 

Since the brutal crackdown in 1988 and on-going human rights violations and
repression in Burma, the military government had been shunned by democratic
governments. The only club the sullen generals could join was Asean. To
boost its image and to borrow legitimacy, the junta leaders realised Asean
is the best choice. Indeed, after all, most Asean leaders have much in
common with them. It is no doubt that blessing Burma undermined Asean's
reputation. Asean's image was tainted as it embraced Burma's military
government which has no legitimacy. 

In the past, Burma's military leaders who were hungry for recognition
visited Asean countries to foster stronger diplomatic and economic ties as
well as solidarity between authoritarian governments. Asean leaders were
pleased with the junta's window-dressing: limited economic freedom,
diplomatic flurry, cease-fire talks with armed groups, and the
government-organised national convention. Thus, Asean's unpopular and
much-criticised ''constructive engagement'' policy toward Burma has only
served to entrench the pariah regime and extend the legitimacy it so
desperately desires. 

In the past, Rangoon's new-found allies were strongly convinced that
engaging constructively with its neighbour would result better. So far they
have proved to be wrong. Evidently, Burma is not on the right track and
this reflects that Asean's policy is a total failure. 

Recently, a senior Thai official admitted in the Far Eastern Economic
Review saying ''the generals remain arrogant, brittle''. But dissidents
think the generals are as ruthless as ever. The country's human rights
records are not better. Approximately 2,000 political prisoners remain in
Burma's gulag. They are not given proper medication and since 1988, almost
100 political prisoners had died from maltreatment. 

According to inside sources, some elderly political prisoners are waiting
to die in the notorious Insein prison. Reports about arrests, harassment,
execution, forced labour, forced relocation and summary execution of
villagers, religious persecution and maltreatment of ethnic minorities are
widely known in Burma. These appalling stories go on for decades and it
seems never ending. But sadly Asean leaders rarely mention these problems. 

On the other hand, Asean is a forum for the junta leaders to present a
distorted picture of Burma. Last year, Burmese Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw
said Burma's membership ''will be contributing to peace and stability in
the region''. 

Ironically, Burma's domestic affairs affect neighbours. Over one million
illegal immigrants are working in Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India.
Approximately, 100,000 refugees are currently taking refuge on Thai soil.
They have no home, no future. Despite this they have to brace the wrath of
the Burmese troops: their camps are attacked. Additionally, millions of
speed pills and tonnes of heroin are flowing into Thailand, Malaysia, China
and to the rest of the world. 

In Thailand alone, while discovering many more drug addicts, Burma's most
wanted drug traffickers are sipping tea in their offices in Rangoon or
under the army's protection. After staging a bloody coup in 1988, opium
production in Burma is increasing and cease-fire groups along the
China-Burma border continue their heroin trade and opium cultivation
without the army's interference. Indeed, to solve long-standing problems
and to end the decades old civil war in Burma, analysts and Burma's
democrats strongly believe that Asean is now in the best position to play a
major role in changing Burma for the better since it did not mind the
pariah becoming a member of the grouping. Last year and this year,
Malaysian and Philippines foreign ministers met opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi in Rangoon. Though critics acknowledged that the meetings were
significant they were hesitant to be optimistic. 

The reason? The situation in Burma has worsened. Ironically, when the junta
leaders unexpectedly released Suu Kyi in 1995 Asean leaders did not
hesitate to take credit for her release. So who will take credit when the
SPDC could not even allow the opposition leader to travel outside Rangoon?
This month Suu Kyi and her senior party members went to provinces to meet
supporters and party members but they were blocked. 

Now is time for Asean leaders to enhance the organisation's reputation and
international image by urging the Rangoon generals for genuine change and
to open a productive political dialogue with the opposition. 

More importantly, Asean should start exercising open criticism in order to
prevent bloodshed or crisis in neighbouring countries. Recently, Manila and
Bangkok expressed their concern over rising political tension and possible
social unrest in Burma. Although Rangoon rebuffed the pair's statements,
their remarks were very effective and praised by the Burmese people who
strongly believe that pressure is still working. 

To maintain peace and stability in the region, Asean leaders should not
turn a blind eye to Burma's problems because Burma's despots who attended
the Asean Summit in Manila will not last long as they continue their grip
on power and ignore the people's desires. 

In appearance it seems calm and is in firm control. In reality, the
military junta in Burma today is unpredictable and shaky. It is time for
Asean to rethink about future relationship between Asean and a new Burma.
Handshake, sweet-talks and the junta's ''peaceful Burma lecture'' at the
Manila Summit won't help Burmese people unless Asean take firm action and
review of the outdated ''constructive engagement'' policy. 

Under the repressive regime, the Burmese people are hostages and helpless.
It is shameful for Asean as it lets the military commit crimes against the
Burmese people. The ball is now in Asean's court. If Asean countries are
committed to an open society in the future, it is the right time for Asean
to ask Burma's leaders to free the 50 million hostages. 



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