Asean faces greatest hurdle over Burma
Monday, 1 October 2007
John Burton from Singapore
The crackdown against pro-democracy protesters in Burma represents the biggest political crisis for the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) in a decade and comes at a sensitive time when the group is about to launch moves to promote closer integration.
The events in Burma are expected to dominate discussions at Asean's annual meeting in Singapore in November, when the 10-member group that includes Burma is scheduled to approve its first charter meant to make Asean a more effective, rules-based organisation.
Anger against Burma was clearly reflected in Asean's first statement on the Burma protests issued the other day, with the group expressing "revulsion" at the violent repression of demonstrations.
"It was the strongest statement that Asean has ever made against a member state in its 40-year history. This is a significant development for an organisation that has normally followed a policy of non-interference in each other's internal affairs," said Mely Caballero-Anthony at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
There were also protests across south-east Asia with demonstrators picketing Burmese embassies in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. "Asean should be together now to put pressure on Burma, and even to impose strong sanctions on Burma," said Josua Mata with the Free Burma Coalition in Manila.
But this was unlikely to happen, Ms Caballero-Anthony said. Asean was unable to take stronger action against Burma since a proposed clause to expel or suspend members was not included in the organisation's final charter draft agreed to in July.
Although the Asean statement said that the events in Burma had "a serious impact on the reputation and credibility of Asean", the group is also unlikely to adopt tough measures because of the traditional emphasis on consensus.
Close economic ties among some Asean members, mainly Thailand and Singapore, with Burma would have further restraining effects on applying sanctions.
Thailand buys natural gas from Burma and has received infrastructure contracts there.
Singapore is a main trading partner with Burma and has invested in the tourist industry.
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's elder statesman, serves on the international advisory board of Total, the French energy group that is among the biggest foreign investors in Burma.
The importance of Thailand and Singapore on the Burma issue was underscored when the United Nations special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, held meetings with officials from both countries before his scheduled trip to Burma.
Asean has to take a "very realistic position to keep [Burma] within the Asean family because it is in everybody's interest", to do so, George Yeo, the Singapore foreign minister and current Asean chairman, told the pro-government Singapore Straits Times last week.
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— FT Syndication Service
The crackdown against pro-democracy protesters in Burma represents the biggest political crisis for the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) in a decade and comes at a sensitive time when the group is about to launch moves to promote closer integration.
The events in Burma are expected to dominate discussions at Asean's annual meeting in Singapore in November, when the 10-member group that includes Burma is scheduled to approve its first charter meant to make Asean a more effective, rules-based organisation.
Anger against Burma was clearly reflected in Asean's first statement on the Burma protests issued the other day, with the group expressing "revulsion" at the violent repression of demonstrations.
"It was the strongest statement that Asean has ever made against a member state in its 40-year history. This is a significant development for an organisation that has normally followed a policy of non-interference in each other's internal affairs," said Mely Caballero-Anthony at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
There were also protests across south-east Asia with demonstrators picketing Burmese embassies in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. "Asean should be together now to put pressure on Burma, and even to impose strong sanctions on Burma," said Josua Mata with the Free Burma Coalition in Manila.
But this was unlikely to happen, Ms Caballero-Anthony said. Asean was unable to take stronger action against Burma since a proposed clause to expel or suspend members was not included in the organisation's final charter draft agreed to in July.
Although the Asean statement said that the events in Burma had "a serious impact on the reputation and credibility of Asean", the group is also unlikely to adopt tough measures because of the traditional emphasis on consensus.
Close economic ties among some Asean members, mainly Thailand and Singapore, with Burma would have further restraining effects on applying sanctions.
Thailand buys natural gas from Burma and has received infrastructure contracts there.
Singapore is a main trading partner with Burma and has invested in the tourist industry.
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's elder statesman, serves on the international advisory board of Total, the French energy group that is among the biggest foreign investors in Burma.
The importance of Thailand and Singapore on the Burma issue was underscored when the United Nations special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, held meetings with officials from both countries before his scheduled trip to Burma.
Asean has to take a "very realistic position to keep [Burma] within the Asean family because it is in everybody's interest", to do so, George Yeo, the Singapore foreign minister and current Asean chairman, told the pro-government Singapore Straits Times last week.
..........................................
— FT Syndication Service