5/12/07 Burma: ASEAN Should Not Go Against the UN

Burma: ASEAN Should Not Go Against the UN

Wed, 2007-12-05

By Zin Linn

Although U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has made two trips to Myanmar (Burma) to promote political reconciliation, it seems to be in vain. At the Press conference held on 3rd December, Burma’s military regime said it would restrict drafting a new constitution to a government-appointed panel. It’s likely a clear snub to a thrust by the United Nations to include the oppositions and ethnic parties in the constitution drafting process.
The UN has been urging Burma to enact democratic reforms and respect the rule of law and human rights. But the UN's efforts to win the release of opposition leader Daw Aung Suu Kyi have been fruitless as the military regime turned a deaf ear to the world body.
"No assistance or advice from other persons is required," Information Minister Brig.-Gen. Kyaw Hsan said, adding that the constitution drafting commission already included legal experts and law graduates of various ethnic groups. He said if the review was opened up to other parties, "it will be a never-ending and the process and will get further complicated."
Kyaw Hsan also spoke at the 3rd December news conference about the commencement of the drafting by the 54-member Constitution Drafting Commission, whose work represents the third stage of the ruling junta's seven-step road map to democracy. The government has long-insisted that it will make democratic reforms, only according to its own plan. The road map's first stage -- the National Convention -- began in 1993 and was completed last July. Most political analysts around the world consider the charter drafting process a sham, designed to keep the military in power.
The U.N. has urged the regime to make political reforms after large pro-democracy demonstrations in September, which were violently suppressed, with at least scores of people killed and thousands detained. Junta's police chief said at the 3rd December press conference that 80 people remain in detention. But, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), there are 706 detainees in Burma’s notorious jail and details off arrested democratic activists remain sketchy. Furthermore it is alleged that the plight of about 84 persons disappeared during the monks’ protests in Burma remains mysterious.
On 27th September 2007, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers had an open discussion at their Informal Meeting on the situation in Burma, at the United Nations in New York. They agreed for Singapore which chaired the meeting to issue a statement. They were astounded over the reports of brutal crackdown on the peaceful protesters; many of the fatalities are monks. The grouping demanded in the statement for an immediate end of using violence against demonstrators. The statement strongly pushes Burma to seek a political solution for genuine national reconciliation with all parties concerned towards a peaceful transition to democracy. It also called for the release of all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi.
But, as usual, ASEAN's statement is merely a face saving measure without muscle and bite. People inside and outside Burma slammed ASEAN’s policy on Burma’s appalling crackdown on the Saffron Revolution.
Just last November, the junta’s Prime Minister Thein Sein attended ASEAN's 40th Anniversary Summit, where he signed the organization's new charter committing to the "promotion and protection of human rights".
In fact, majority people of Burma are deeply disappointed by ‘the lack of collective will’ among ASEAN countries to take a strong-minded position against a troublemaking member state - Burma. At the ASEAN 40th anniversary summit, the grouping leaders lost face by Burma which barred the UN Special Envoy Mr Gambari distributing his knowledge to the ASEAN foreign ministers in order to create a political solution to Burma.
The ASEAN needs to begin a process of rigorous and coordinated commitment not only for the benefit of the people under dictatorship, but also for peace and stability in the region. So as to achieve a common advantage, a multilateral approach will require in finding the middle ground by all member countries. ASEAN members need to reassess their historical commitment to policy of noninterference. Member countries should not watch Burma tumble down further into an abysmal havoc.
Besides, ASEAN has to convince that coexistence of sanction policies on Burma need to cooperate with various forms of engagement. It will be necessary to coordinate all kinds of dealings toward the common goal of persistent reform, reconciliation, and democratization in Burma. To do well, the members of ASEAN need to make a concerted effort determinedly.
It is obvious that precariousness in Burma is part of a mainstream of tribulations inflicted on the people by the unwise military regime. By systematically violating the civil rights of the people and blocking genuine reforms, the junta has established itself as major threat to national and regional stability. Political and economic oppression of the people does not go with a roadmap to democracy.
Most people in Burma have expected a clear-cut decision on principle from ASEAN towards the end result of the military controlled Burma. But, ASEAN has made a lopsided engagement policy favoring the military regime rather than an unbiased deal to help suffering people. It seems most ASEAN countries concerned about political changes in Burma, because change of system might cause damage to their economic benefits in the military-run country.
As a result, the decision made by the Association annulled the efforts of the United Nations and ruled out international expectations to a solution on Burma. Most political analysts inside Burma remarked that ASEAN has provided a very strong support to its disruptive member or Burma. At the recent press conference Burma made a very tough tone, where it brushed aside not only the people’s desire but even the proposals put forward by the UN.
Therefore, ASEAN must take responsibility to tame the rogue state to come forward for a UN sponsored dialogue
Zin Linn is a freelance Burmese journalist in exile. He spent nine years in a Burmese prison. He works as an information director of the NCGUB. He is also an executive member of the Burma Media Association, which is affiliated to the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers.

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