Assignment from Introduction to Politics class, October 2009
Theme : Write a review on articles posted in English papers about political problems!
Source of Article : The Jakarta Post, august 13th 2009, titled Shame on You, ASEAN
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Ruled by military government since a coup on 1988, taking many lives on the process. The reason of the name changing was to make non-Burma ethnical feel as a part of the country, though some don’t acknowledge it for they refuse to acknowledge junta’s military government. The government itself isn’t very much favored by its people as well as international community, because human rights violation and democracy restriction colors most of the governance system. Forced labor, human trafficking, sexual violence up to no freedom of speech is already part of the country. The situation is worsened by economic issues and high corruption among low to high ranks. Burma, which is once known as the rice bowl of Asia half a decade ago has turned into an area with high rate of starvation and poverty.
The condition lasted until now. With tight restriction of movement from the icon of democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, and another additional eighteen months detainment for letting a foreigner stay at her settlement, hope for a democratic wave in the 2010 election is dimmed once again. However, according to U Win Tin, a National League for Democracy member via The Washington Post, the upcoming election itself is a sham. Because a few days after Cyclone Nargis hit Burma, the regime used a farcical process to claim that ‘93% of voters chose to adopt a constitution that permanently enshrines military rule and prevents those with undefined “foreign ties” from holding public office ‘. The claim itself indirectly affects Suu Kyi, barring herself from public office.
Yet, part of the main questions derived from the article are these: Why doesn’t Myanmar budge to the persuasion of ASEAN? And from ASEAN itself, why do they fail to persuade their member, even after all this time? Is soft power really useless on concerning this problem?
Let us take the first question first. Junta is obstinate, to be rough. They have no wish to change the hand of the power holder. They have their strategy, and they had established it well enough to frustrate international community. The high level of corruption makes them clutch their authority status even tighter, for if democracy ever made a way to seep trough the nation, there might be a chance of covers being blown and criminality being cleaned. Bad news for them corruptors. They also take their moves carefully, choosing to bar political prisoners instead of assassinating them. With no head figures to move masses, status quo is easier to acquire. If Myanmar ever lost their democracy icon, Suu Kyi, people’s anger would be uncontrollable. They might even take extreme moves, trough violence, best surmised, to push their will forward. Bad news for them military heads. The regime locked themselves inside their country, governing the people with an as-they-wish method. Almost untouchable from the outside, obstinate indeed.
About ASEAN’s role, the organization has tried to solve Myanmar’s issue with a constructive engagement method, which is basically attempting to conduct change without getting harsh to the junta ruler. ASEAN also had a principle of not involving themselves with the national issues Myanmar has. Furthermore, Myanmar still has privileges and is still involved in many occasions that ASEAN held.
It is obvious that the soft treatment caused Myanmar to be less considerate for warnings. Nevertheless, they are truly mere warnings. Until now there has been no stern action taken by ASEAN to push the matter seriously. The United States, as well as many other countries has imposed sanctions on Burma, to remind the junta that they cannot ignore the aspirations of international community to seek for a solution of their severe problem. The sanction will be uplifted only when the regime agrees to peacefully take steps to form a truly democratic country.
What have ASEAN done? The humanity crisis in Myanmar has sent its people sheltering on another countries. Many political figures were arrested without a good judicial procedure. There is an information printed on Kompas, that the ASEAN parliament caucus will try to persuade UN’s Security Council to pin Myanmar’s issue in one of their yearly convention agenda, with a bonding result. But the decision will be hard to make if there are still ASEAN members who decides that Myanmar’s trouble is its own trouble, not an international affair.
Myanmar is problematic from the eye of international viewers, as well as the opposing party of the nation. And looking at the status quo maintained by junta regime, it is doubtable that they (junta) actually admit that their nation is in danger. Furthermore, judging at how they responded to the words of international community, their critics are useless, with no vivid result. As for dialogs, so many had been done. It might be still taking time to absorb, or it is actually also as ineffective as critics. To continue using soft power maybe means to continue waiting for some deus ex machina to appear. There is still room for alternative choices.
One of them is sanctions. Economics sanction. Many have been implemented, despite some disagreements, saying that those sanction hurt the people more than the government. Moreover, there’s also an issue of India and China supporting Myanmar’s government trough military aid, cooperating in oil and gas exploration, information technology, hydro power and construction of ports and buildings. Making the government doesn’t suffer all that much.
What about the people of Myanmar itself? It is difficult to move and spring opinions freely while the government is the one holding fire, and the streams of poverty makes education- for a better perspective-a hard decision to follow. But they are definitely working towards their democracy, ‘fighting for what are theirs’, as a member of Democratic Voice of Burma says. Many members of the opposing party are active in media, speaking to international community to raise awareness and support. They do need heads to turn to them.
The conclusion is, there is no country that can stand on its own, without getting involved with international matters. Myanmar cannot be left to resolve their problem on their own. Take the problem to the international level and ask for committed participation between countries to support a clear decision with gradual steps to restore peace and freedom. The coup was on 1988. Myanmar has been ruled by the regime’s awful method for more than twenty years. Though nothing lasts forever, not excluding totalitarian regime as history has proved, it is better to end the suffering as soon as possible.
