ASEAN discredited over Burma, analysts
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i thought someone is supposed to be so talented, why the faux pas?
ASEAN discredited over Burma, analysts
Singapore's handling of meeting under question as leaders' wilted, say analysts.
AFP
Nov 22, 2007
Singapore - ASEAN's handling of the Burmese crisis has shattered the regional bloc's credibility and deeply embarrassed Singapore, the host of this week's southeast Asian summit, analysts and activists say.
In the run-up to the gathering, Burma's ASEAN partners - under pressure from the international community - appeared ready to press the junta to take concrete steps towards democracy.
Instead, bickering among the leaders marred the talks meant to focus on a landmark charter, and Rangoon, by blocking a special UN session on its bloody suppression of pro-democracy protests in September, emerged victorious.
“In terms of the handling of it, they made a mess of it,” said Trevor Wilson, a former Australian ambassador to Burma who is now a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.
“Given that people have a lot of questions in their own mind about how effective ASEAN is on political issues like this... to have made such a public gaffe doesn't do them a lot of good.”
The annual summit that ended on Wednesday was meant to be a celebration, with the 10-member bloc marking its 40th anniversary and signing its first charter aimed at turning the bloc into a more cohesive and influential force.
But with the world's attention on Burma and how ASEAN would handle its errant member, the bloc's apparent unity on the issue - it expressed “revulsion” at the deadly violence there two months ago - quickly crumbled.
They clashed over Singapore's decision to invite UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari to brief leaders of ASEAN and their dialogue partners from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on the crisis.
Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein refused to allow Mr Gambari to address the session and his ASEAN counterparts blinked, forcing Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to abide by his wishes and scrap the meeting.
“ASEAN's continued commitment to `non-interference' will tend to limit the capacity of member states to force others to adopt a uniform approach,” said Damien Kingsbury, an associate professor at the School of International and Political Studies at Australia's Deakin University.
Debbie Stothard, co-ordinator of the Bangkok-based Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, called the move “particularly shocking” in the wake of the bloc's condemnation of the junta before the UN after the crackdown.
“They've gone from revulsion to intimacy,” she said.
Summit host Mr Lee came under particular criticism for his handling of the Burma issue, which revealed deep divisions among ASEAN members, with The Philippines strongly criticising the regime and pressing for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“It's a fatal sign of weakness especially when Singapore is seeking to assert itself not just on the regional stage but on the world stage as well,” said Ms Stothard.
In his defence, incoming ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan of Thailand said Mr Lee's invitation to Mr Gambari had been made “with good intention” but “some members were not quite ready” to go ahead with the briefing. - AFP -
as expected...
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Dear Lotus,
I would say that PAP government has made an embarrassing blunder for this ASEAN summit.
They are afterall, not really politicians. If they allow peaceful protests by local Burmese outside the summit venue to put pressures on these leaders, I think the chances of having it Singapore's way would succeed!
It is such an irony actually. While Singapore, acting as the leader of ASEAN condemning Burma for its harsh treatment of demonstrators, PAP government itself has constantly rejected any attempts of protests by groups and individuals in Singapore! On what moral grounds do PAP government has over other ASEAN members over the issues of "protests"?
Well, yes, the only difference is that Burma Junta uses brutal force against protestors but in Singapore's context, it is using "legal brutality" against those protestors.
Goh Meng SengOriginally posted by lotus999:i thought someone is supposed to be so talented, why the faux pas?
ASEAN discredited over Burma, analysts
Singapore's handling of meeting under question as leaders' wilted, say analysts.
AFP
Nov 22, 2007
Singapore - ASEAN's handling of the Burmese crisis has shattered the regional bloc's credibility and deeply embarrassed Singapore, the host of this week's southeast Asian summit, analysts and activists say.
In the run-up to the gathering, Burma's ASEAN partners - under pressure from the international community - appeared ready to press the junta to take concrete steps towards democracy.
Instead, bickering among the leaders marred the talks meant to focus on a landmark charter, and Rangoon, by blocking a special UN session on its bloody suppression of pro-democracy protests in September, emerged victorious.
“In terms of the handling of it, they made a mess of it,” said Trevor Wilson, a former Australian ambassador to Burma who is now a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.
“Given that people have a lot of questions in their own mind about how effective ASEAN is on political issues like this... to have made such a public gaffe doesn't do them a lot of good.”
The annual summit that ended on Wednesday was meant to be a celebration, with the 10-member bloc marking its 40th anniversary and signing its first charter aimed at turning the bloc into a more cohesive and influential force.
But with the world's attention on Burma and how ASEAN would handle its errant member, the bloc's apparent unity on the issue - it expressed “revulsion” at the deadly violence there two months ago - quickly crumbled.
They clashed over Singapore's decision to invite UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari to brief leaders of ASEAN and their dialogue partners from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on the crisis.
Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein refused to allow Mr Gambari to address the session and his ASEAN counterparts blinked, forcing Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to abide by his wishes and scrap the meeting.
“ASEAN's continued commitment to `non-interference' will tend to limit the capacity of member states to force others to adopt a uniform approach,” said Damien Kingsbury, an associate professor at the School of International and Political Studies at Australia's Deakin University.
Debbie Stothard, co-ordinator of the Bangkok-based Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, called the move “particularly shocking” in the wake of the bloc's condemnation of the junta before the UN after the crackdown.
“They've gone from revulsion to intimacy,” she said.
Summit host Mr Lee came under particular criticism for his handling of the Burma issue, which revealed deep divisions among ASEAN members, with The Philippines strongly criticising the regime and pressing for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“It's a fatal sign of weakness especially when Singapore is seeking to assert itself not just on the regional stage but on the world stage as well,” said Ms Stothard.
In his defence, incoming ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan of Thailand said Mr Lee's invitation to Mr Gambari had been made “with good intention” but “some members were not quite ready” to go ahead with the briefing. - AFP -
The ASEAN Charter has been a sham charter - prepared in the usual Singapore way as led by a Singaporean Sec-Gen familiar with the Singapore politics of deceit.
How can this Charter hope to be executed when Singapore herself - being the prime mover of the Charter - is against the Principle of Civil Rights for Singaporeans ?
Amongst the 10 member nations - Communist Vietnam and Laos is decidedly against any forms of democratic politics; Thailand under a military rule has barred all forms of political demonstrations; Myanmar has been perpetually under military dictatorship, and Malaysia has barred civil demonstrations.
Six out of ten ASEAN States are decidedly against Civil Rights for their citizens - can the 10 signatory of the ASEAN Charter hope to acheive the spirit of its manifesto ?
If at all, this document serves to remind the world of the typical Singapore political hypocrisy. -
But is it so easy to say what is the right solution? The UN sanction against Iraq was ineffective. Pressure from the UN and the EU could not stop the US from going to war against Iraq.
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let me ask this:
everyone else went and sanctioned burma.. and.. the junta didn't even care...
the thing is to not be a showboat and do something which will make them change their minds... a pointless gesture is.. pointless...
look at CSJ and his other idiot cronies.... pointlessly getting arrested is not going to do anything for any of their stupid causes...
besides.. think about it.. do you see Elf withdrawing from burma?
if you think hypocrisy, please take a look at the whole thing.. those who rant the loudest, have got nothing invested in there and have nothing to lose..
politics is about trying to lever as much and gouge as much as possible for your own national and selfish interest...
ASEAN is taking flak for attempting to change the Burmese.. ultimately, we still hold the biggest stick of throwing them out.. it is something we should not dilute.. influence is like a bank account.. the less you use it, the more you have...
we ain't using it yet.. we're just persuading.. if nothing happens, then maybe it will be used...
and if you do not understand that or refuse to understand that, you are either totally and utterly politically naive and have been used by the politicians, or worse, are using these things as a political cynical way to further your own agenda in the guise of "doing good".. and what does that make you?
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do u actually believe that if all else fails, myanmmar will ultimately get throwned out?Originally posted by the Bear:let me ask this:
everyone else went and sanctioned burma.. and.. the junta didn't even care...
the thing is to not be a showboat and do something which will make them change their minds... a pointless gesture is.. pointless...
look at CSJ and his other idiot cronies.... pointlessly getting arrested is not going to do anything for any of their stupid causes...
besides.. think about it.. do you see Elf withdrawing from burma?
if you think hypocrisy, please take a look at the whole thing.. those who rant the loudest, have got nothing invested in there and have nothing to lose..
politics is about trying to lever as much and gouge as much as possible for your own national and selfish interest...
ASEAN is taking flak for attempting to change the Burmese.. ultimately, we still hold the biggest stick of throwing them out.. it is something we should not dilute.. influence is like a bank account.. the less you use it, the more you have...
we ain't using it yet.. we're just persuading.. if nothing happens, then maybe it will be used...
and if you do not understand that or refuse to understand that, you are either totally and utterly politically naive and have been used by the politicians, or worse, are using these things as a political cynical way to further your own agenda in the guise of "doing good".. and what does that make you?
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I think the world and alot of people also fail to understand how much China influence has on ASEAN. I think LHL gave in on China.Originally posted by lotus999:i thought someone is supposed to be so talented, why the faux pas?
ASEAN discredited over Burma, analysts
Singapore's handling of meeting under question as leaders' wilted, say analysts.
AFP
Nov 22, 2007
Singapore - ASEAN's handling of the Burmese crisis has shattered the regional bloc's credibility and deeply embarrassed Singapore, the host of this week's southeast Asian summit, analysts and activists say.
In the run-up to the gathering, Burma's ASEAN partners - under pressure from the international community - appeared ready to press the junta to take concrete steps towards democracy.
Instead, bickering among the leaders marred the talks meant to focus on a landmark charter, and Rangoon, by blocking a special UN session on its bloody suppression of pro-democracy protests in September, emerged victorious.
“In terms of the handling of it, they made a mess of it,” said Trevor Wilson, a former Australian ambassador to Burma who is now a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.
“Given that people have a lot of questions in their own mind about how effective ASEAN is on political issues like this... to have made such a public gaffe doesn't do them a lot of good.”
The annual summit that ended on Wednesday was meant to be a celebration, with the 10-member bloc marking its 40th anniversary and signing its first charter aimed at turning the bloc into a more cohesive and influential force.
But with the world's attention on Burma and how ASEAN would handle its errant member, the bloc's apparent unity on the issue - it expressed “revulsion” at the deadly violence there two months ago - quickly crumbled.
They clashed over Singapore's decision to invite UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari to brief leaders of ASEAN and their dialogue partners from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on the crisis.
Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein refused to allow Mr Gambari to address the session and his ASEAN counterparts blinked, forcing Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to abide by his wishes and scrap the meeting.
“ASEAN's continued commitment to `non-interference' will tend to limit the capacity of member states to force others to adopt a uniform approach,” said Damien Kingsbury, an associate professor at the School of International and Political Studies at Australia's Deakin University.
Debbie Stothard, co-ordinator of the Bangkok-based Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, called the move “particularly shocking” in the wake of the bloc's condemnation of the junta before the UN after the crackdown.
“They've gone from revulsion to intimacy,” she said.
Summit host Mr Lee came under particular criticism for his handling of the Burma issue, which revealed deep divisions among ASEAN members, with The Philippines strongly criticising the regime and pressing for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“It's a fatal sign of weakness especially when Singapore is seeking to assert itself not just on the regional stage but on the world stage as well,” said Ms Stothard.
In his defence, incoming ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan of Thailand said Mr Lee's invitation to Mr Gambari had been made “with good intention” but “some members were not quite ready” to go ahead with the briefing. - AFP -
U must remember Spore is not the only country that approve of this charter. Like u say, 6 out of the 10 nations are not that democratic.Originally posted by Atobe:The ASEAN Charter has been a sham charter - prepared in the usual Singapore way as led by a Singaporean Sec-Gen familiar with the Singapore politics of deceit.
How can this Charter hope to be executed when Singapore herself - being the prime mover of the Charter - is against the Principle of Civil Rights for Singaporeans ?
Amongst the 10 member nations - Communist Vietnam and Laos is decidedly against any forms of democratic politics; Thailand under a military rule has barred all forms of political demonstrations; Myanmar has been perpetually under military dictatorship, and Malaysia has barred civil demonstrations.
Six out of ten ASEAN States are decidedly against Civil Rights for their citizens - can the 10 signatory of the ASEAN Charter hope to acheive the spirit of its manifesto ?
If at all, this document serves to remind the world of the typical Singapore political hypocrisy.
If anything, this serves to remind the world that ASEAN is just an ineffective organization. They have been hampered by the fact that all member nations must agree with each other, and if any 1 nation disagrees, a motion cannot go through. I would say its time to just scrap off ASEAN.