Gentlemen All
Fri, 24/07/2009 - 12:55 | by prachatai
So the Good Leaders of ASEAN, the same people who thought it better for them to approve the ASEAN Charter before the people of ASEAN could even see it, have agreed on an ASEAN Human Rights Body. And like all new bodies that arrive in this world, this baby comes with no teeth.
In doing so, they successfully managed to ignore the mad ravings of Indonesia who, having broken free of the shackles of their own inglorious tradition of human rights violations, inexplicably wanted a way of actually putting an end to human rights violations.
Arguing from the insane premise that there was no reason why human rights protection should be weaker in ASEAN than in the African Union or the Organization of American States (what on earth would such foreigners know about ASEAN human rights?), the Indonesians almost ripped to shreds the working consensus of ASEAN.
The ASEAN way is articulated through the 7 principles of the ASEAN Charter, that thing they so graciously approved for you so you wouldn’t have the bother. The first 3 of these principles, rightfully coming before any of that dreamy-eyed stuff about good governance, human rights and international humanitarian law, say this:
a) respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all ASEAN Member States;
b) non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN Member States;
c) respect for the right of every Member State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion and coercion.
This is diplospeak for everybody pretending not to smell anyone else’s farts. In practical terms, it means if you’re ever strapped down in the non-existent CIA torture house in Sattahip with water pouring up your nostrils, ain’t nobody in ASEAN coming to your rescue.
But our song-and-dance-at-the-occupied-airport Foreign Minister thinks we’ve done enough. He is confident that ASEAN member states will ‘honour the commitment for the people of ASEAN to lead a better life’, according to press reports.
“We will not commit any crime, so there should not be punishment but only a lot of achievement” says the man on the wrong end of a charge sheet that runs as far as terrorism.
At this point, one’s eyes naturally drift towards the serial human rights abusers who run Burma through a system of intimidation, torture, and when that doesn’t work, mass murder. That lot don’t seem to respond to any pressure less than a sawn-off shotgun pressed against their forehead. Does anyone seriously think they are suddenly going to mend their ways because of this piece of paper?
But gross as the xenophobes in Naypyidaw may be, they are not the only human rights abusers in ASEAN in need of reform.
Probowo Subianto headed the Kopassus in Indonesia and what became Timor Leste and was accused of involvement in torture, rape, extortion, kidnapping and murder. Removed from his red-beret command after daddy-in-law (Suharto) fell from power, he was charged with the heinous crime of ‘exceeding orders’, found guilty, but given no punishment. He then swanned about abroad as a bit of pariah (some of the time in Bangkok according to reports), before he resurfaced earlier this month as the losing vice-presidential candidate on the Megawati ticket.
I’m sure we all hope this ASEAN document is helping him mend his ways.
Malaysia’s Federal Reserve Unit are regularly accused of doofing people up. They tend to pick on the discriminated and defenceless but will occasionally batter an MP if need be (opposition MP of course). Vietnamese courts are happy to use Article 88 (conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam) to lock up any and all who the government disapproves of. Sleepy old Lao turns out to be quite nifty at arresting Christians and banging them up until they see the error of their religion. And on and on. It’s embarrassing to have to choose.
But all will be a thing of the past, says FM Kasit, just because of a mealy-mouthed packet of weasel words from Phuket
From small acorns, goes the argument by apologists from PM Abhisit to the local human rights people who have been watching this non-document evolve amidst much hand-wringing. What they have passed in Phuket is only the Terms of Reference of an ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, to be reviewed after 5 years. Start small, add teeth later; if the words aren’t as strong as we’d like, be creative in interpretation, says Acharn Vithit.
But this optimism flies in the face of the near universal experience with national human rights commissions in Asia. In the few cases where the commission wasn’t nobbled from the outset, most governments that found their HRC a mite feisty, such as was the case in Thailand, quickly learned to restrict, hamper, co-opt and neutralize, so that human rights ended up under the protection of some castrated eunuch of an organization.
I mean, I know Thailand once appointed a yellow-carded candidate to the Election Commission, but selecting a named human rights violator to the National Human Rights Commission?
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Harrion explained very well
Harrion explained very well how difficult it is to implement the beautiful clause evne if it's in the charter.
They have to start somewhere,
They have to start somewhere, and, perhaps, the idea of losing face if the other members think that you are not doing enough on human rights is more effective than actual punishment.
And since it's usually the governements themselves that are biggest HR violators, getting their OWN agreement to "think about it" might actually stop them from doing some nasty stuff.
Of course it won't work on Burmese, nothing will, and in a couple of years maybe all the members will have enough dirty linen on each other to quietly agree to ignore those human rights, but it's still a start.
ASEAN is a sickening
ASEAN is a sickening joke.
Come on, Myanmar is a member.
What the hell has ASEAN achieved towards getting Myanmar to move , be it an inch closer to human rights enforcement ?
Absolutely nothing.
ASEAN is a disgrace, and Surin a pathetic clown.
Now wait until Abhisit proclaims the summit a complete and unquestionable success and pretend that it puts Thailand back on the map of respected nations...
Another pathetic buffoon.
Does anyone seriously think
Does anyone seriously think they [the Burmese junta] are suddenly going to mend their ways because of this piece of paper?
Of course not. Kasit is thinking the other way round.
He wants to try some more of that Burmese action here in Thailand... the bit about being "ready to assist Myanmar in its efforts to promote democracy, human rights and well-being among her people" (what a travesty!) is just a warm up for the Thai putsch's "efforts to promote democracy, human rights and well-being" among the Thai people... by eliminating the popularly elected parliament in a fit of "new politics".
We already have a Deputy Prime Non-Minister courtesy of the coup's having torn up the Thai Constitution. And they have miles to go before they sleep. Or so they think. There will be an election some day soon and these guys will be swept so far out to sea that their soul-brothers in the Burmese junta will have to give them asylum.
UUmmm, The guy's comment gets
UUmmm, The guy's comment gets more and more like an oracle, difficult to understand, mainly because of my lack of English skill.
I think that Thailand is in difficult postion as an only country neighboring Burma. (Sorry Laos, but nobody expect you to play a siginificant role) For example, around 20 percent of the electricity in Thailand is generated by the natural gas from Burma. It's not a easy decision for any governments to exchange their energy security with the improvement of human right in another country.
And the exclusion of Burma from ASEAN, as Hillary Clinton suggested, would not work as long as China is supporting Burma. And if they should do it, Thailand will have the most serious affects from the action. People should remember Kasit is the FM of Thailand, not a human right activist whose only job is to uphold his ideal.
Kasit is a brainwashed idiot
Kasit is a brainwashed idiot on a lost cause mission, who sucks up to the powers that be.
Nothing more.
If Thailand had not served up US's interests in the region so dutifully since the Vietnam war, do u really think the US would still give a shit about the Thai anachronism ?
It's real politics Man, nothing to do with whatever, if any , is left of Thailand's credibility.
yeah maybe
yeah maybe
Of course Asean is a joke,
Of course Asean is a joke, the problem is that it's the only show in town. There's nothing else, live with it.
In a way it's very representative of the member countries. They got what they deserved.
>>
As for Kasit being ideologically close to Burmese regime as opposed to democratic goverment overthrown by the coup/judiciary - were you here when Samak praised the Burmese generals, or Thaksin making deals for his own company?
I'm sure John Francis Lee was. I just don't know his explanation how "democratically elected" Thai government is any better than "junta appointed" one as far as Burma is concerned.
The Nation wrote this in its
The Nation wrote this in its lead editorial. What are they hearing from their source?
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/07/25/politics/politics_30108307.php
Mythbuster is right in that one of the major achivements by Thai government in this ASEAN meeting is they got very postive message from the secreatary of state. MOF successfuly got a strong endorsement of the US gov. on its "legitimacy" , if any country still have any doubt on it.
And Thai's contribution to Vientman war surely consolidated the US-Thai relationship. (Who would deny it?) And the status of the closest ally with the US in SE Asia was one of the reasons of Thai's relative success in the region. We should think about what happened to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, who were unfortunately forced into the position to fight the war with the US. And after the cold war was over, even Vietnam so eagerly sought the normalized relationship with America to get their economy to take off.
I think he pointed out those two valuable points in his post.
trep: To answer to your " I
trep:
To answer to your " I just don't know his explanation how "democratically elected" Thai government is any better than "junta appointed" one as far as Burma is concerned.
At least, a democratically elected government is under scrutiny from all parties, not only political ones but also non-political factions, PAD included. All the movements outside the parliament( which contain weak opposition ) put pressure on the gov, and most importantly, people will make a final decision on which side they trust. I'm already aware of the flaws in the system, the masses can also be misled for sometimes, but system can be fixed, people will learn their lessons. It's just a matter of time, there's no shortcut for democracy.
Those coup makers did and will do claim 'democracy bring none but corrupt politicians', but did they do anything differ from the corrupt politicians? Do you honestly believe in a 'good coup'? I never trust totalitarianism. Absolute power always corrupt.
Your line does align itself with PAD's and Hewison's 'Thai style democracy' written some decades ago. Surprisingly it does still explain Thai politics pretty well today.
Doctor J, you haven't said a
Doctor J, you haven't said a word about Burma, though.
Several Thai "democratically elected" governments completely undermined any struggle for democracy there. And Burmese people have been suffering, really suffering, for years. It's easy for you to say "it's a matter of time".
What is your message to the Burmese now, when Thailand has got "junta appointed" government that is putting political pressure on Burma? That democratically elected Samak was their real friend?
trep My previous comment
trep
My previous comment focussed mainly on domestic issue. I do not deny the hidden agenda of the ousted Thaksin gov in Burma. And also am aware of other neighbourhoods' hidden agenda in Burma, like China, Singapore. These mutual interests facilitated by the Burmese junta does maim the efforts to establish democracy.
I'm not so convinced about your 'Thailand has got "junta appointed" government that is putting political pressure on Burma'. If your 'political pressure on Burma' is the ASEAN humanrights body recently approved. As it's widely criticised as a teethless tiger that can't even bite off its own flea! As a matter of fact, there're lots of HR violations to be dealt with in Thailand and other ASEANs, apart from Burma. We are just a less evil states, when HR is concerned.
Far as I'm aware of, Thailand still stick to the 'no interference with other's domestic affairs' policy. IMO, the pressure Thailand had ever put on Burma so far is a ridiculous proposal of 'the roadmap to democracy'. What a pressure!
Just a couple of months ago
Just a couple of months ago Thailand released a statement as Asean chair calling for release of Aung San Suu Kyi and Burmese junta issued a strong rebuke for meddling in their internal affairs.
Maybe that's not much, but it's a clear departure from the previous "democratically elected" Thai governments.
Need I remind you what Samak said about their generals?
Yeah, you're right about
Yeah, you're right about that. But still I'm not so convinced this 'junta-endorsed' government will put any further genuine efforts on the establishment of democracy in Burma as wished by the US secretary of state. With all the vested interest in Burma, is Thailand ready to pull off the gaspipes from Burma?
Let their actions speak for themselves, we'll see.
Dr J, I think this a failure
Dr J, I think this a failure of the ASEAN which we all (indluding NGOs, human right activists etc...) expected before the meeting began given the current state of ASEAN, not a diplomatic faliure of the Thai government as some posters want to dipict it.