On a cursory and wholly unscientific survey of the newspaper articles, the television reports and the speeches of government officials in the "West" on the crisis in Burma, it is interesting to see how Asean is perceived with regards to Burma. Entering the words: 'Burma', 'cyclone' and 'Asean' on the bbc.co.uk website, a mere one page of hits was generated by the search engine. Going into the details of these hits, the only statements which linked Burma and Asean with regards to the cyclone was:
"The European Union is to hold an emergency meeting on getting aid to Burma on Tuesday [13 May 2008] - while Asean (the Association of South-East Asian Nations) says it will discuss the issue next Monday."
Interesting. So the EU which is miles away from Burma has already had its meeting on getting aid to Burma while Asean which Burma is of course part of, is still dithering on the issue of aid.
"In an apparent concession to international pressure, the generals say they will allow 160 foreign aid workers into the country, as well as an emergency relief team from the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).
But it was unclear whether the workers - from countries including Thailand, China, India, Bangladesh - would be allowed out of Rangoon into the stricken delta region, where help is most urgently needed."
Interesting. Even Asean countries which belong to the same regional organisation as Burma, are treated as foreign.
Of course what's more interesting is the paucity of references to Asean by the UN, the US, the EU and the media. Put simply and bluntly, Asean is not regarded as a regional body which is capable of influencing the situation in Burma. Sadly, Burma appears to share that view as well. You would at least expect the Burmese government to show some respect to the organisation that it belongs to and grant the aid workers from Asean countries the freedom to do what is necessary to help the Burmese people. But unfortunately, this is not the case. This is of course a problem stemming from the principle of no-interference.
Asean has to ask itself: does it owe a duty to the military junta, the government of the day for Burma or does it owe a duty to the Burmese people to protect their lives and rights? One can understand the political benefits of the principle of non-interference: to preserve the territorial and political sovereignty of the countries which form Asean. That being said, Asean must realise that qualifications must be made to this principle. Where human rights and the lives of Asean "citizens" are at stake, the principle of non-interference must be abandoned. The only issue now is: does Asean have the political will to do that? I am not advocating that Asean invades Burma. That is a decision that has to be considered by the UN, the international community. What I am asking for is that Asean denounces the actions of the military junta and add to the chorus of voices asking for the junta to do what is necessary to save the lives of the Burmese people.
Burma is the litmus test for Asean as an organisation to show the world that it is a legitimate organisation capable of influencing at least the region's affairs. Unfortunately, Asean has failed abysmally so far.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Just a note that another journalist is toying with the idea of invading Burma, albeit less emotionally than yours truly.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Sometimes, the politically incorrect way seems like the only way
Reading and hearing about how aid is NOT making its way to the people who need it most in Burma set me off on a tirade. I will not and do not advise donating money or any form of aid to Burma. I know the devastating news of the cyclone hit us bad. I know many Burmese had died and are dying. However, I feel that it will do nothing more than to make us feel less guilty about our own bourgeois capitalist comfort in Singapore. The aid and the money will only end up lining the pockets of the military junta who does not seem to care about its people, only about reinstating and hanging onto its unreasonable power in the country.
Yes - I've also read that some money and aid do get past. Perhaps 30% of whatever was sent there. Is that enough? Is that a solution to a problem exacerbated exponentially by natural disaster? I do not think so. As I grow older, I also begin to see how futile it is to give aid or attempt to save just one or a few persons - it has stopped mattering if we can save or make the life of just one person better. What about the gazillion others suffering?
We must do something to help. But it seems like the only way we can help, is helping the enemy instead of the people.
Perhaps, this is the time for ASEAN to step in and stop its gutless attitude of non-interference. What is the point of being a community if part of your community is dying, battered and bashed? Why work and shake hands with a military junta who will not listen? Why talk about economic integration and community when there is a regime next to you that obviously goes against the values of humanity?
This is not about the respect of cultures and sovereignty. We should respect cultures and governments that the people support. We should help defenceless people when their governments don't. Do we report or intervene if our neighbours abuse their children? There is no dilemma here. It's a matter of right or wrong.
And I believe the right way might sound horrendously incorrect in the wake of the Iraq problem. But I do agree with Steve Sesser of the New York Times. Perhaps some stronger country should invade Burma.
Yes - I've also read that some money and aid do get past. Perhaps 30% of whatever was sent there. Is that enough? Is that a solution to a problem exacerbated exponentially by natural disaster? I do not think so. As I grow older, I also begin to see how futile it is to give aid or attempt to save just one or a few persons - it has stopped mattering if we can save or make the life of just one person better. What about the gazillion others suffering?
We must do something to help. But it seems like the only way we can help, is helping the enemy instead of the people.
Perhaps, this is the time for ASEAN to step in and stop its gutless attitude of non-interference. What is the point of being a community if part of your community is dying, battered and bashed? Why work and shake hands with a military junta who will not listen? Why talk about economic integration and community when there is a regime next to you that obviously goes against the values of humanity?
This is not about the respect of cultures and sovereignty. We should respect cultures and governments that the people support. We should help defenceless people when their governments don't. Do we report or intervene if our neighbours abuse their children? There is no dilemma here. It's a matter of right or wrong.
And I believe the right way might sound horrendously incorrect in the wake of the Iraq problem. But I do agree with Steve Sesser of the New York Times. Perhaps some stronger country should invade Burma.
Second Disaster
First was the cyclone and the surge of water, the second is the Myanmar military government’s feeble response to one of its worst disasters in memory.
A week after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta, killing thousands and affecting milliona of lives, the devastated region remained largely cut off from the rest of the world and the impoverished country's needs remain enormous. The refusal to give landing rights for relief flights as well as the refusal to allow doctors and disaster-relief experts to enter in large numbers contributed to the growing concern that starvation and epidemic diseases could end up killing people on the same scale as the storm itself. More fatal than the storm could be the junta's action.
Myanmar military government’s main reason for not letting foreign aid workers in seems to be that they are afraid of foreign influence within the country. They view foreign assistance as a potential threat to their two-decade rule. In the eyes of the military rulers, everyone, including aid workers, is a potential enemy who can spearhead the overthrow of the government. It seems clear by now that the junta members are that paranoid.
To make their idea of holding on to power clear, as hundreds of thousands of its citizens struggle for basic shelter, food and health care, the junta government holds a constitutional referendum on May 10, just one week after the cyclone. Instead of putting all resources toward saving the lives of the victims, the military has prioritized on legalizing military rule in Burma through the referendum.
From all these, I can see the regime that care more about control over the country than the lives of people. I see the regime that does little or nothing to protect or help its people in time of great crisis. I see the worst kind of despotism and irresponsible ruler that the world should not have by now.
I fully understand that voicing outrage with the junta over the aid delays or how they behave would not help improve the situation or make any difference. But for now, I just can’t help feeling frustrated and sorry for Myanmar’s people. I hope those people will receive what they deserve soon. Everything.
A week after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta, killing thousands and affecting milliona of lives, the devastated region remained largely cut off from the rest of the world and the impoverished country's needs remain enormous. The refusal to give landing rights for relief flights as well as the refusal to allow doctors and disaster-relief experts to enter in large numbers contributed to the growing concern that starvation and epidemic diseases could end up killing people on the same scale as the storm itself. More fatal than the storm could be the junta's action.
Myanmar military government’s main reason for not letting foreign aid workers in seems to be that they are afraid of foreign influence within the country. They view foreign assistance as a potential threat to their two-decade rule. In the eyes of the military rulers, everyone, including aid workers, is a potential enemy who can spearhead the overthrow of the government. It seems clear by now that the junta members are that paranoid.
To make their idea of holding on to power clear, as hundreds of thousands of its citizens struggle for basic shelter, food and health care, the junta government holds a constitutional referendum on May 10, just one week after the cyclone. Instead of putting all resources toward saving the lives of the victims, the military has prioritized on legalizing military rule in Burma through the referendum.
From all these, I can see the regime that care more about control over the country than the lives of people. I see the regime that does little or nothing to protect or help its people in time of great crisis. I see the worst kind of despotism and irresponsible ruler that the world should not have by now.
I fully understand that voicing outrage with the junta over the aid delays or how they behave would not help improve the situation or make any difference. But for now, I just can’t help feeling frustrated and sorry for Myanmar’s people. I hope those people will receive what they deserve soon. Everything.
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