Critics say Burma crisis shames Asean
14-MAY-2008 Intellasia | Inquirer
May 14, 2008 - 7:00:04 AM
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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has again been shamed by its failure to bring member state Burma (Burma) into line, this time over demands that it open its doors to a full-scale cyclone relief effort, according to critics.
The aid crisis, which has put in danger the lives of 1.5 million desperate survivors of the disaster, makes a mockery of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' efforts to exert more influence on members, the critics said.
"This reflects dismally on all Asean leaders and governments. They can definitely do more," said Lim Kit Siang from the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Caucus which was formed in 2004 to push for democratic reform in Burma.
The crisis has erupted a year after the 10-nation bloc signed a landmark charter affirming its commitment to human rights and democratic ideals and setting out principles and rules for members.
'Mockery of the charter'
"It makes a total mockery of the charter which is now utterly meaningless. All Asean foreign ministers should convene an emergency meeting on this issue," said Lim, a leading figure in Malaysia's opposition.
"With Burma as a member, Asean should have set the lead and persuaded the military junta to open up or face censure and possibly suspension," he said, adding that the affair cast doubt over Asean's entire existence.
"The whole question of its utility, its relevance, its pertinence is critical after years of failure to act on the Burma issue," he added.
Lim said that Malaysia's parliamentary opposition leader, Wan Azisah Wan Ismail, would attempt on Monday to table an emergency debate on how to push aid into Burma.
Since Cyclone Nargis hit southwest Burma on May 3, only a trickle of aid has been allowed by the reclusive military regime, putting survivors at grave risk with a lack of food, clean water, shelter and sanitation.
The military government has infuriated foreign aid organisations by refusing to allow their staff to enter the country to direct the relief operation.
Asean chief Surin Pitsuwan has written to the Burmese junta seeking "quick admission" of aid from the region, but unlike Western governments has stopped short of condemning the junta.
But he rejected criticism that Asean was not doing enough.
"We are working full time, 24/7, so that all the contributions and supplies can be transported in quickly," he said last week. "Every capital is doing its best to express its concern."
Thailand's prime minister Samak Sundaravej also expressed irritation at the United States and Britain for expecting him to act as a go-between in the crisis while criticising his links with the country's ruling generals.
"I already told them that I am not Burma's spokesman," he said on the weekend.
'Black sheep'
The wrangle with Burma is just the latest to cause headaches for Asean members, who are inured to the "black sheep of the family" bringing the bloc into disrepute and dominating regional gatherings.
Debbie Stothard from the Alternative Asean Network on Burma (ALTSEAN), a network of prodemocracy activists in the bloc, said its response to the disaster had been "absolutely shocking."
"It hasn't come out with any strong statement, hasn't thrown its weight and effort to persuade the regime to open the doors to aid. This is the one time where humanity should be more important than diplomacy," she said.
Stothard said the Asean "will pay for its silence" with increased migration of Burmese citizens across its borders. Thailand is already home to an estimated 2.5 million Burmese citizens, both legal and undocumented.
"There was already a food crisis in Burma and the affected states were the food bowl of the country," she said.
"So if there's no rebuilding, pretty quickly the country's going to suffer and it's going to force more people to leave the country in search of work."
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