06.05.2007
ASEAN’s Role and UN’s Duty in Burma
_ By Senator Aquilino Nene Pimentel Jr.
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Senator Aquilino Nene Pimentel Jr. is currently the minority leader of the Senate of Republic of Philippines, and also the Vice-President of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC). He is one of the leaders of Philippines People Power Movement in 1980s; and he served as Minister of Local Government under Presidency Corazon C. Aquino. |
I would like to address the member countries of ASEAN on how they may take up the challenge to seek and implement reforms in that neighbouring country, Burna, that is member of our regional organization.
Engagement in vain
May I get to the point immediately? It is no longer useful and neither has it had any significant impact when ASEAN leaders occasionally ‘raise’ the issue of Burma, and its lack of democratic progress or when they meet at summits or ministerial meetings. Their tame efforts of ‘engaging’ the junta leadership on rare occasions to convince them of the benefits of a democratic Burma have all been in vain.
ASEAN’s limp-wrist attempts thus far have only allowed the Myanmar regime to go on as it pleases and in doing what it does best – oppressing its people, ruling with terror and violence, compelling its hard-working citizenry to eke out a living and in many instances forcing them out to migrate to countries in the region and to western nations as well. The regime has been, and still is, made up of brutal men who believe that power flows out of the barrel of a gun. Yet, these barbarians have been welcome with open arms into the house of ASEAN.
Just over a week ago, Myint Naing and Maung Maung Lay, members of the "Human Rights Defenders and Promoters" Network (HRDP), were attacked by henchmen of the military junta. Their fault: conducting a human rights education session with villagers in the Irrawaddy division area.
Some of you, I’m sure, are aware of this nasty incident as only a few days ago the UN slammed this typically vicious act of the junta.
High level violence
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, and Hina Jilani, the Secretary-General's Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, released a joint statement in Geneva voicing "deep concern over the brutal attack”. They said that the incident has "highlighted the level of violence in Burma” and the failure of the “local police to protect the victims xxx remind us of the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident of Depayin in 2003.
Did the ASEAN secretariat release any statement condemning this violence? Did any of the ASEAN leaders publicly criticise the Myanmar regime? I regret that I am not aware of any such statement.
The AIPMC has often called on the ASEAN secretary-general to share with us a regular report on the situation in Burma. This has not happened. Incidents like the Irrawady occurence, like what happened in Depayin four (4) years ago, and other consistently reported violent happenings, are clear and obvious signs of a rogue regime that appears to do as it pleases without in the least being subjected to the Rule of Law to which all civilized countries conform.
Humanitarian crisis
Furthermore, ASEAN’s approach of constructive engagement has made very little headway in our attempts to push for improved democratic governance in Burma. The expectation of a regime change has not materialised. What is clear though is that the situation for the people of Burma has deteriorated to a point where they are now also enduring a grave humanitarian crisis.
Here are some horrendous examples: _
§ In Burma, 1 child in 10 dies before his or her 5th birthday.
§ 44% of children are malnourished and 58% of pregnant women are so poorly fed that they have anaemia.
§ Rape is used as a weapon of war against ethnic women and children.
§ Use of slave labour is widespread and has been described by the UN as a ‘crime against humanity’
§ There are over 1100 political prisoners, many of whom are routinely tortured, raped, executed or in forced labour camps
§ 1.5 million Burmese have been forced to leave their homes and as many as 700,000 refugees have crossed Burma’s borders seeking safe havens from an atrocious regime.
§ Nearly half the government budget is spent on the military where the people’s great need is for the essentials of life.
§ There is an unchecked HIV/ AIDS pandemic and possible bird flu. An International Crisis Group says that in 2004, the junta spent a total of only USD 22,000 to help AIDS victims
§ Human trafficking of women to Thailand to work as prostitutes
§ Per capita income is USD 225, among the lowest in Asia.
These are some of the dreadful things that the people of Burma have been and are subjected to and have to live with daily. The atrocities and the oppression that I have just mentioned are probably only the tip of the iceberg.
Stand up for Burma
The AIMPC, thus, calls upon ASEAN to wake up. It is time to repair the damage to the reputation of our regional organization that was caused mainly by the renegade policies of the Myanmar junta. ASEAN can do so by forcefully and zealously by leading the way to bring about positive change and concrete improvements in that beautiful country.
If ASEAN member countries want to avoid the spill-over effects of Burma's deteriorating situation in our own respective countries, such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, the cross-border trafficking of drugs and humans, the continued flow of asylum seekers and economic migrants, we suggest that ASEAN has to make a stand; a strong stand on Burma; a stand that would not allow the military any room to manoeuvre. Don’t buy into what is touted to be the ‘road map to democracy’ and its sham ‘National Convention’ which has gone on for years and is non-inclusive of all relevant parties.
AIPMC’s message to ASEAN is that, as my honourable colleague Teresa Kok, Malaysian MP, only two days ago mentioned in her speech in a Singapore conference, the regional bloc must adopt a realistic, coordinated and, may I add, no-nonsense position on Burma.
Deceitful regime
We know this regime is less than honest in their words and intentions. We know they are terrified of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, having kept her under all sorts of restraints in her freedom of movement for the past 17 years. And she has been under house arrest for close to four (4) years now. We also know that the ruling junta is extremely anxious of the threat of international intervention from bodies such as ASEAN and the UN Security Council (UNSC).
If ASEAN is unable to call on the Myanmar military junta to respect the rights of its own people, the next doable step, we suggest, is to support international initiatives to resolve the current crises in Burma. There is a move to pass a non-punitive resolution in the UNSC on the regime. ASEAN, we submit, has show that it has the moral courage and the regional strength to address and discuss the problems affecting the Burmese people before the UN Security Council.
Indonesia’s credibility
Our beloved neighbour, Indonesia as a member of the UNSC is scheduled to take the chair in November of this year. Indonesia has the credibility and the capacity to assert its leadership role as chair of the UNSC. ASEAN should give Indonesia its full backing and support to pass a resolution at the Security Council that would allow for peaceful internationally sanctioned action on Burma.
It is sad to note that countries that voted against the UNSC resolution early this year, China, Russia and South Africa, used the failure of ASEAN to consider the horrible human rights abuses in Burma today as a threat to regional peace and stability.
I not need reiterate the obvious but for argument’s sake, I’ll tell you why Burma is a threat to ASEAN’s comprehensive regional security.
Four basic reasons
There are four basic reasons: internal conflict, displacement, disease and drugs.
1) Burma is home to the world’s longest-running war. The regime has been engaged in protracted war, close to 60 years, against the ethnic Karens and the junta has been targeting unarmed civilian communities.
2) Burma is the world’s third largest source of refugees after Afghanistan and Iraq. At the end of 2005, at least 700,000 Burmese refugees had fled their country. During recent years (1995 – 2005), the flow of refugees has increased by between 48% and 800% in some countries. More than a million people from Myanmar are living in ASEAN as undocumented migrant workers.
3) People living in border areas in Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, China, and India are under attack by HIV/AIDS, drug resistant malaria, and drug resistant TB spreading from Burma.
4) Burma continues to be the main amphetamine producer in Southeast Asia and the second largest opium producer in the world. ASEAN countries are experiencing a public health crisis in addressing the social impact of drug use and addiction because of drugs produced and trafficked from Burma.
It is time that ASEAN must send a clear message to UNSC members, particularly China and Russia, about the seriousness of the Burmese situation.
ASEAN countries can no longer fence sit and choose not to interfere with the events unfolding in Burma. I respectfully suggest that now’s the time. Burma’s house is burning and as her neighbours we cannot say, “it is none of our business.” ASEAN should avail of this singular opportunity with Indonesia as our lead charger. ASEAN must accept the challenge to cause a peaceful change in the military regime in Burma and replace it with a democratic government that is in accord with the expressed wish of the Burmese people since 1990.
Visit to refugee camp
A few weeks ago, our fellow Parliamentarians from the AIPMC travelled to a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border and experienced for themselves the sufferings of the Burmese fleeing battles between ethnic groups and the military. They saw the pain, the sorrow and the hopelessness etched on the faces of the adults. They saw diseases ravage children who live in the misery of the refugee shelters and are thus deprived of the ordinary joys that other children enjoy.
My colleagues returned sad that such things still exist in this modern and sophisticated world. They were angered that in this globalised age there are still such prolonged instances of pain and suffering. They were frustrated that in this modern era of the intelligent being, abuses of basic rights still go on unabated.
End the human tragedy
As a member of the AIPMC, I urge our fellow parliamentarians not to turn your back on our brethren in Burma. I urge you to act. I urge ASEAN, I urge the UNSC, I urge all, I urge you to put an end to this human tragedy that is engulfing Burma today. Empower your governments and groupings such as ASEAN to act decisively now and in peace save Burma for the sake of humanity.
_ Adapted from the speech given to the seminar on Myanmar/Burma, held on the sideline of the 116th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Bali, Indonesia on 29 April 2007..
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