Jakarta - The natural disaster that struck Myanmar a week ago once again demonstrates the limited utility of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in dealing not only with its own members but also with a crisis situation.
With the death toll from Cyclone Nargis now expected to reach more than 100,000, and around 1 million people having been displaced, ASEAN -- as an institution -- remains on the sidelines.
The attitude of the military junta in Myanmar is clearly one reason for the inability of ASEAN to move as a group. Almost a week since the cyclone hit the country, the junta is still hesitant to allow the international community into the country. The junta clearly has displayed a degree of ignorance -- if not indifference -- to the tragedy that has killed so many innocent people. Worse, it announced that a referendum on the country‘s constitution would go ahead as planned on May 10 despite the disaster.
It is precisely due to this problem that ASEAN‘s limited utility has been exposed. ASEAN is indeed helpless in the face of the junta‘s extreme paranoia toward the outside world. For example, it took almost a week before four UN natural disaster experts were allowed to travel to Myanmar. That came only after the UN, China and ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan called on the junta to accept international assistance and open up the country before it was too late.
The other reason is the slowness with which ASEAN has been implementing its own agreements. In 2004, within the framework of the ASEAN Security Community Plan of Action (ASCPA) and the Vientiane Action Programs (VAP), it agreed to establish an ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Center (ASCPA) and a fully functional regional mechanism for disaster management, response and relief. In 2005, ASEAN signed an Agreement on Disaster Management and Disaster Response.
Yet, almost four years later, none of these plans have been put into reality. ASEAN is still unable to act as a group, even in responding to a humanitarian problem of such magnitude in one of its member states. All assistance has to be delivered bilaterally. Indonesia, for example, contributed aid worth US$1 million. Thailand has flown in emergency supplies to the country. Vietnam has pledged similar aid, and other member states will soon follow suit.
Despite the bilateral assistance offered by all ASEAN member states, the reality remains unpleasant for the grouping. The tragedy once again exposes the association‘s limited utility when it comes to the need to respond to real issues in the region. If ASEAN does not know how to respond to the continuing oppression by the Myanmar junta of its own citizens, that can still be hidden behind the mantra of non-interference. But if it is also helpless in the face of the junta‘s arrogance and stubbornness during such a humanitarian disaster, then ASEAN‘s relevance should be questioned.
However, there is still time and opportunity for ASEAN to save face and demonstrate its utility. First, ASEAN -- as a group -- should immediately issue a statement calling on the junta in Myanmar to focus all attention and efforts on emergency relief, and put aside other political agendas such as the constitutional referendum.
Second, ASEAN should immediately demand that Myanmar cooperate with the international community, including allowing humanitarian aid workers and NGOs into the country. The junta should be told that a second disaster could come in the form of a humanitarian catastrophe due to a lack of medical supplies, clean water, food and shelter.
Third, ASEAN should coordinate its efforts to put together a reconstruction plan for Myanmar, with support from the international community.
Finally, the natural disaster in Myanmar clearly demonstrates the urgent need to accelerate the implementation of all ASEAN agreements, especially on disaster management and response, as stipulated in the ASCPA, VAP and the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Disaster Response.
Despite its shortcomings in addressing political and security problems in the region, ASEAN should at least make itself more useful when it comes to addressing the real and pressing needs of the people.
Source: old.thejakartapost.com - Rizal Sukma (13 Mei 2008)
