ASEAN Expresses Concern over Burma Elections
July 21, 2010
By: Benjamin Russell

Foreign ministers meeting at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) conference in Vietnam, this week, tested the limits of the organization’s non-intervention policy by expressing concerns over Burmese elections set to take place this year.

While ASEAN is usually cautious when commenting on the internal affairs of member countries, the group’s current Secretary-General, Surin Pitsuwan, told reporters Tuesday that “Myanmar, I think, got an earful last night that ASEAN is very much concerned."

International observers claim that the Burmese elections are a sham designed by the ruling military junta to maintain its 50-year long grip on power, according to the Associated Press.

Ministers urged the Burmese to accept ASEAN observers in the hope that transparent elections could push the country in a more democratic direction. "Once the generals take off their uniforms and they've got to win votes and kiss babies and attend to local needs, the behavior will change and the economy will gradually open up," Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo told reporters on the meeting's sidelines. "We suggested quite strongly to our Myanmar colleagues that they consider having ASEAN observers at the elections."

Critics say it is unlikely that Burma’s leadership will accept ASEAN’s offer to monitor the election, but even if they did, many wonder whether the organization has the capacity to ensure a truly democratic contest.

“There isn’t much confidence that ASEAN will have the depth to point out the severe violations of international standards when free and fair elections are concerned,” said Debbie Stothard, head of ALTSEAN-Burma network group, adding that the region is “not exactly known for its high election standards.”

Indeed, many observers were surprised by ASEAN’s stand against the Burmese junta’s handling of its political opponents considering the region’s human rights record. "The way that the military regime is treating political prisoners led by Aung San Suu Kyi even makes the ASEAN countries embarrassed," said Trevor Wilson, a Myanmar expert at the Australian National University in Canberra. "And they're pretty good at treating political prisoners badly themselves."

ASEAN, founded in 1967, includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

For more on Burma’s upcoming elections, please see:
NLD Splinter Party Will Participate in Burmese Elections

Burma’s Main Opposition Party Dissolves in Protest of Harsh Election Laws

Burmese Military Step Down Ahead of Elections

Sources:

Associated Press – ASEAN Urges Myanmar to Hold Free, Fair Election
BBC News – ASEAN Diplomats Give Burma ‘Earful’ over its Election

VOA News – ASEAN Foreign Ministers Open Regional Security Meeting

Reuters – Myanmar Neighbours Concerned over Fairness of Polls

Democratic Voice of Burma – ASEAN Ups Rhetoric on Election Observers

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