[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Press release: Maintenance of Non-i



Subject: Press release: Maintenance of Non-interference Policy a Wimp Out

Asean Disempowering Itself
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by igcb.igc.org id FAA06095
X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.0
X-Sender: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For immediate release: July 24, 1999

MAINTENANCE OF NON-INTERFERENCE POLICY A WIMP OUT
ASEAN DISEMPOWERING ITSELF

Singapore, Sat ­ Human rights activists today slammed Asean?s decision to 
maintain its non-interference policy as a ?wimp out?.

Debbie Stothard, Altsean-Burma Coordinator said: ?Asean is disempowering 
itself by its reluctance to be pro-active to deal with human rights crises 
in the region. Once again, the Asean Ministerial Meeting has turned out to 
be a talkfest irrelevant to millions of Asean citizens.

?If Asean is impotent to resolve such human rights crises as Burma and Aceh, 
it should step aside and allow peoples organisations and other agencies to 
get on with it,? said Ms Stothard.

Ms Alison Wee of SUARAM said: ?In this day and age where diverse systems 
have become closely interrelated, non-interference has become an out-dated 
and irresponsible method of avoiding conflict.

?Non-interference has been selectively used to avoid engagement in key 
life-and-death issues in the region. Not surprisingly, non-interference is 
overlooked when it comes to profit related matters, ? said Ms Wee.

Ms Wee asserted that non-interference led to a deterioration and 
regionalisation of so-called domestic problems. ?For instance the abuses of 
Burma?s military regime in Burma has led to increased flows of refugees, 
migrant workers and drugs to other Asean states. If Asean had been 
pro-active, we wouldn?t be paying the political, social and economic costs 
now.?

Mr Wilson Lucente of Amnesty International Philippines noted that Professor 
Jayakumar refused to reveal the context in which human rights, 
democratisation, civil society and the role of NGOs were mentioned in the 
Foreign Ministers? retreat. ?Perhaps this secrecy implies that such topics 
are still taboo in some Asean states.

?Professor Jayakumar said that Asean Foreign Ministers discussed problems 
and challenges owing to its expansion to include 10 members. This is 
inefficient and ineffective ­ Asean should have seriously considered these 
implications and made provisions BEFORE the new members were so hastily 
accepted,? concluded Mr Lucente.

ENDS

Inquiries:
(If calling from within Singapore): 02012 330 0996

(If calling from outside Singapore): 6012 330 0996

-----------------------------------
A L T S E A N - B U R M A
Alternative Asean Network on Burma
Tel: 66 2 275 1811 * Fax: 66 2 693 4515
<altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>