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SCMP-Asean silence allows junta to



Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: SCMP-Asean silence allows junta to punish Bangkok

South China Morning Post
Wednesday, October 13, 1999
 MEKONG REGION

Asean silence allows junta to punish Bangkok
CURRENTS by HOWARD WINN

Thailand gained considerable kudos from the peaceful outcome to the siege of
the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok.
But after the celebratory back-slapping a sour note has crept into its
dealings with the Burmese dissidents currently in Thailand.

The secretary-general of the National Security Council, Kachadapai
Burusapatan, is urging the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to
send all exiled Burmese students under its care in Thailand to a third
country.

But Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra said any repatriation
would be voluntary.

Whether Mr Kachadapai's remarks should be taken at face value is unclear as
they may have been made to pressure the international community or to
appease the Burmese Government.

The Burmese junta is clearly displeased with the Thais for what it considers
to be the soft treatment of the student hostage-takers. It has closed the
border and suspended fishing licences, resulting in the loss of millions of
dollars worth of business.

Thai Commerce Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi says Thai traders stand to lose
their market dominance in Burma if the border stays closed for another week
as Rangoon importers turn to other sources.

So Thailand ends up getting punished for its peaceful handling of the
dissidents and for looking after refugees on humanitarian grounds.

The root problem is that the junta is an oppressive regime that overturned
an election result and maintains power by force.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' policy of constructive
engagement with Burma has achieved nothing. In fact, by allowing Burma to
become a member of an international body it has given it a veneer of
legitimacy. How long is Asean prepared to sit back and do nothing?

Meanwhile, because of the lack of a co-ordinated approach to Burma, the
junta plays one member country off against the other with ease. By in effect
imposing trade sanctions on Thailand, it opens the door to Singaporean and
Malaysian traders.

Thailand, which has carried the brunt of the human consequences of its
unsavoury neighbour, will always be vulnerable until Asean adopts a more
creative policy towards Burma.

It is difficult to hold out much hope, given Asean's silence while the army
of one of its members slaughtered thousands of unarmed civilians in East
Timor. What kind of crisis, what atrocity, is necessary to get this body to
recognise its responsibilities?