Asean must do away with 'talk shop' image

The New Straits Time - 2008/12/24
AMY CHEW: Asean must do away with 'talk shop' image
Amy Chew

"WHAT are you covering?" asked a young Indonesian professional named Andi Silalahi.

"Asean," I replied.

"Asean? All it does is talk but Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention," said 29-year-old Andi.

Andi's remark reflects the younger generation's perception of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its dealings with the contentious issue of Myanmar and human rights.

His perception of Asean as a talk shop is also understandable -- the organisation holds a mind-boggling 700 meetings a year.

If Andi speaks for the 60 per cent of Asean's 500 million people under the age of 30, it would seem important that Asean prove its relevance, especially after adopting the historic Asean Charter last week.

Says Indonesian parliamentarian Marzuki Darusman: "(Asean) is forced to become relevant by the sheer fact that the world is moving on and if it doesn't get to be where it aims to be -- a solid and effective community -- it will be bypassed by the world."

Darusman, a member of the Indonesian Parliament's foreign affairs commission, sees the Myanmar question as crucial.

"The world will be looking at Asean in very principled terms, to what extent Asean can resolve the impasse on Myanmar as far as the human rights situation is concerned, taking into account the local context... starting with the continued detention of Madam Aung San Suu Kyi."

While the United States welcomes Asean's move for greater integration, it acknowledges Myanmar was an issue which complicates the organisation's goals.

"It's obviously a positive step to see countries in this region cooperating on a broad range of things," said Cameron Hume, US ambassador to Indonesia, who attended the ceremony marking the adoption of the Asean Charter.

"(But) the situation in Myanmar doesn't really live up to the charter. That's a complicating element."

Darusman also warned Asean's influence risked being eclipsed by that of China, Japan and South Korea if it fails to effectively deal with the region's myriad issues, especially economic.

"What needs to be looked at is the very interesting development in Southeast Asia, the recent summit between China, Japan and South Korea ," says Darusman. "Asean has to watch itself, that it doesn't lose the driver's seat in the area, if only because it is overshadowed by three economic powers."

The active support of the region's youth is important for Asean to achieve its goals of greater economic, social and security cooperation.

One of Asean's principal goals is to turn the region into an EU-style single market, the Asean Economic Community (AEC), by 2015.

"Now Asean will have to prove it's an effective, democratic and rules-based body capable of addressing sensitive issues and unresolved human rights problems and, at the same time, push ahead with social and economic development," said Darusman.

The Asean Charter is a legally binding agreement among the 10 member countries and will be registered with the secretariat of the United Nations.

It turns the loose grouping into a formal organisation akin to the European Union as a community of sovereign nations.

Asean will also have to work hard to confront the challenges of slowing global economic growth. As the global financial crisis hits home, there are concerns of emerging protectionism in the region.

"Our commitment is to face the economic crisis by being more open to each other," says Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan.

Even as tariff barriers come down, the private sector still has to contend with a host of non-tariff barriers. "The private sector is complaining they have not been able to make use of the tariff barriers which have come done because there are non-tariff barriers like transport standards, Customs procedures, hygiene and many others. It's the non-tariff barriers we are working on."

Despite lowered tariffs, moreover, one regional business consultant said there have been instances of non-compliance. "When a country does not want to lower its tariffs in line with Asean's agreement, what can you do? There are no sanctions."

A highlight of the charter is the prospective establishment of a human rights body for the promotion and protection of human rights in the region.

Human rights advocates view the future Asean Human Rights Body with scepticism, saying it will be a toothless tiger as Asean continues to practise a policy of non-interference in member states.