The Moral Authority
of ASEAN
Kanbawza Win
Now that Ali Alatas, the former Foreign Minister of Indonesia,
who is also a de facto representative of ASEAN (currently
Indonesia holds the chair of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations) has returned from Burma without seeing the
ailing Frail Lady, still in custody but hospitalised, the
world is watching at ASEAN. Will this regional organization
considered to be one of the most important in Asia have enough
morality and the guts to act against one of its atrocious
member? Or as usual under the faÇade of constructive
engagement will it be deaf to the clarion call of the people
of Burma and that of the world? The answer will be in the
coming gathering at the beautiful isle of Bali.
One could recollect the terrible bomb explosion in Bali where
the innocent tourists have to pay with their lives for no
fault of their own, and, now another explosion, but of an
entirely different nature, is in the offing to explode on
the negotiating table for the fate of fifty million plus people
of Burma. It will also be a barometer of their inner conscience
of the leaders of these ten nations.
ASEAN in their heart of hearts knew that they have done nothing
to strengthen the people's movement led by Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, partly because the fallacy of its illegal policy. Now
after one and half decades of the most bloody nationwide pro-democracy
uprisings, the balance of power and strategic advantages still
remain in favor of the military. The overall support received
from the Junta's allies and supporters far outweighs what
the pro democracy movement has been offered by its sympathizers.
This spells out that the struggle for freedom is not simply
a contest of will, determination, courage and leadership between
the dictatorial regime and the struggling oppressed peoples
but it is rather the contest of resources (the economic war)
that can be mobilized to maintain itself in power or to a
democratic transition.
Today the Western countries has been frustrated in advocating
change through sanctions and other punitive measures. The
freedom struggle of the people Burma is fast running out.
The people inside the country are too busy eking out a difficult
livelihood under increased repression and economic hardships
and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's non-violent political struggle
is getting nowhere as there is little or no help from ASEAN
that tends to marginalize the political space in which the
people can undertake such as small acts of daily, if concerted,
acts of political defiance. In other words the decision of
ASIAN is pivotal
However, the international community has notice that the
will and determination of the people to continue the struggle,
with or without international support. A case in point is
the rapid growth in size, enthusiasm and courage of the crowds
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi drew in her cross-country campaign trail
in spite of its intimidation, harassment and possible imprisonment.
It is evident that peoples from all walks of life and different
ethnic communities are united behind Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's
vision and place their hope and trust as someone who can help
heal the country's historical wounds and help iron out political
differences among competing camps. Thousands of political
prisoners are lingering in jail and will not yield to the
various pressure to abandon their cherish freedom in exchange
for their personal freedoms. The ethnic nationalities chose
to embrace the life as internally displaced peoples, instead
of capitulating to the regime's terror campaigns. The armed
resistance groups, with whatever little resources and political
recognition and support from the international community,
refuse to surrender. There are also thousands of Burmese political
exiles and citizens in Diasporas who refuse to go home and
live under the military boots and who continue to fight peacefully
via cyber space and anti-regime literature. And we cannot
comprehend of why the ASEAN leaders are blind and deaf to
all these writings on the wall and deaf to the call for help?
Looking with folded arms at the attempted assassination of
the one and only living Peace Noble laureate and massacring
hundreds of her followers does not spell well for these ten
members nations. There is a tremendous imbalance of strength
between the military and the people of Burma so much so that
the Generals have shown no interest in genuine change, other
than cosmetic changes designed to appease the international
community for trade and economic benefit. Yet ASEAN is hesitating
to listen to the advice of one its founder, Dr Mahathir Mohammad
of kicking the rascal out Even among the members of ASEAN
there are people who think that fifteen years is long enough
for their business and diplomatic interest to overrule their
conscious.
Civil society initiatives including constitution drafting,
ethnic or national reconciliation and direct political and
diplomatic efforts in the form of behind-the-scene roadmap
selling and diplomatic talking will not create enough pressure
to compel the regime to the negotiating table. The longer
the political stalemate in Burma continues, the greater will
be the cost of human lives and the suffering of homosapiens
residing in that part of the world called Southeast Asia.
The views expressed here are solely the
opinion of the author. (Kao-Wao Editor)
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