wounded ASEAN tiger moving forward

[panyoma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

        "Wouned ASEAN tiger moving forward but slowly and carefully"


Finally the first barrier of Asean's feudalistic rules of non - interence
is about to be broken.It is no longer realistic and most of all it is
counter productive to Asean well being or another word it is bad for Asean
economies.

EU and United States imposed restricted cooperation with Asean because of
that and pointing out Burma case as an example.Pretending and silencing on
abuses of human rights, utter oppressions and brutal method used on its own
people are catching up with Asean mentality.As long as they are having a
good, profitable trades, there is no such thing happening in Burma.

A decade of double digits economic growth has prevented Asean seeing the
importance of upholding human rights and environmental values.Even come up
with shonkey pretence of Asian values philosophy.There is no such thing.

This is one of the many steps that Asean leaderships must take towards
world standard of democracy and human rights.The next step is to clean up
their heavily corrupted leaderships with the help of their own people.  

Now there is no more double digit growth but it is the time to clea up your
backyards.



panyoma

Syd.Aust.



----------
> From: hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: Recipients of burmanet-l <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: SCMP : Push to face challenges of new age
> Date: Tuesday, 14 July 1998 2:07
> 
> South China Morning Post
> Tuesday  July 14  1998
> 
> Push to face challenges of new age 
> 
> 
> 
> FRANK LONGID in Manila and Agence France-Presse 
> Thailand and the Philippines yesterday stepped up their campaign to
> transform the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to counter
the
> challenges of a new age, while Singapore stressed the need for it to be a
> strong, united force.
> 
> 
> 
> The regional grouping had to abandon its non-interventionist policy in
> favour of "flexible engagement" by members in others' domestic affairs
> where they had regional implications, Manila and Bangkok said.
> 
> 
> 
> Members must be more honest and prepared to criticise, said Philippine
> Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon, who will host a 10-day gathering of his
> eight colleagues which begins at the weekend.
> 
> 
> 
> "Times have changed," Mr Siazon said. "And, after 31 years, we can be
> adults and should be able to discuss our problems frankly.
> 
> 
> 
> "In future, it may be similar to the European Union system, where you
> discuss each other's problems and even confront each other."
> 
> 
> 
> ASEAN, which was set up in 1967 to combat the spread of communism in the
> region, has consistently skirted controversial issues. This, and the
policy
> of arriving at decisions by consensus, has been a source of frustration
for
> Western governments, which want the organisation to censure members who
> spurn international laws, particularly those governing human rights.
> 
> 
> 
> ASEAN largely overlooked the dismal human rights record of Burma when it
> was admitted last year.
> 
> 
> 
> Mr Siazon said one way to avoid an economic depression would be to
> strengthen ASEAN. Members were already more honest in the finance sector.
> "Maybe we could move a little bit further," he said.
> 
> 
> 
> Lauro Baja, foreign undersecretary for policy, said other members'
internal
> affairs were now "our business because the developments inside their
> territories affects us".
> 
> 
> 
> He said Burma's policies had "affected our dialogue with the EU and some
> projects with the EU are on hold".
> 
> 
> 
> In Sydney, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said ASEAN would be
stifled
> without flexible engagement - on issues such as drug trafficking and
> currency devaluation - greater integration and co-ordination of economic
> policies.
> 
> 
> 
> "If we work together and don't submit ourselves to a herd instinct of
> withdrawing, of trying to save ourselves, but look long-term, be
optimistic
> and support each other we will be able to avoid a deep recession," he
said.
> 
> 
> 
> "Otherwise, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy."
> 
> 
> 
> Singaporean Information Minister George Yeo told ASEAN colleagues the
bloc
> must present a united front to remain relevant.
> 
> 
> 
> He said the economic crisis showed its members could not function in
> isolation.
> 
> 
> 
> "If we work together we will have a collective voice in the world," Mr
Yeo
> said.
> 
> 
> 
> "As individual countries, we are likely to be drowned out by louder
> speakers and become their playthings."
> 
> 
> 
> ASEAN groups Brunei, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines,
> Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>