BURMA: Asian neighbours under pressure to act
Updated
At least four deaths have been reported from the violence in Burma, as security forces continue their crackdown on mass protests. Burma's close economic friends, China and India, are facing growing international pressure to exert some influence, and ASEAN is also coming under new pressure to take action against its most troublesome member.
Presenter: Karon Snowdon
Speakers: Dr Purificacion Quisumbing, the Chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of the Philippines; China's UN Representative Wang Guangya; Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard
SNOWDON: The emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council expressed its concern over the violence in Burma and its support for the Special Envoy, Ibrahim Gambari's visit there. He's yet to get a visa. Security Council members China and Russia signed the statement, which is significant as far as it goes - and that's not very far. China's UN representative Wang Guangya, had more to say after the release of the Security Council statement.
WANG GUANGYA: Certainly as far as China sees and also many other members see it, the situation has some problems, but these problems at this stage do not constitute a threat to international and regional peace and stability. But I think if there is such a problem, I think that others can offer help.
SNOWDON: Later, China's Foreign Ministry called on the junta to show restraint. India, another of Burma's close economic partners, has remained silent. Australia, which previously voiced reservations over the effectiveness of sanctions, now says it will impose targeted financial sanctions against the generals. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says he's deeply concerned at what's happening.
HOWARD: You always have a conflict in these situations between demonstrating your position by some kind of sanction, but making sure that those sanctions don't hurt the people who we're really trying to help.
SNOWDON: Lending support to spreading international calls for action are the top human rights organisations in the region.
QUISUMBING: We condemn what is happening.
SNOWDON: Dr Purificacion Quisumbing, is the Chairwoman of the Philippines Human Rights Commission. She's speaking on behalf of the ASEAN members of the Asia-Pacific Forum of Human Rights Organisations at their annual meeting in Sydney. Only four of the 10 ASEAN countries have human rights organisations. The commissioners from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines were joined by East Timor's representative, to suggest the governments of ASEAN take urgent action against Burma. Dr Purificacion Quisumbing says they have grave concerns for the hundreds of people arrested.
QUISUMBING: And we're urging our own governments respectively to make sure that these concerns of ours are put forward.
SNOWDON: ASEAN's inclusion of Burma into the group in 1997 has done little to improve its record on democracy or human rights, as it continued to ignore international pressure for democratic reform. Even some ASEAN members, notably Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines had openly criticised the generals as ASEAN's own reputation suffered. Dr Quisumbing says the members who also backed the inclusion of human rights in the proposed ASEAN Charter might, on this occasion take more action. The Burma crisis will ASEAN's very existence.
QUJISUMBING: I think this is a watershed. Quite obviously, this is outside of the ordinary. The idea that actually thousands have come out to support the monks, I think that definitely shows that there's a movement from outside. Now whether this will be matched by the governments themselves, by the ASEAN governments, is not yet clear, but at least some governments have shown their - shall we say - disappointment, their frustration basically over a Myanmar that has been very stubborn about moving forward. The indication is that they will take this occasion to probably push the agenda for more reforms in Myanmar.
SNOWDON: You've called it a watershed, do you also see it as something of the final test if you like of ASEAN's effectiveness in instances like this? If it stays silent in this instance?
QUISUMBING: I doubt very much if it's going to stay silent or at least that's what I hope. But I think that the membership of Myanmar may be in question, that's a possibility.
SNOWDON: Should it be kicked out?
QUISUMBING: That's why I called it a watershed, because I don't think it will be the same ever again. This is also as you pointed out this is a critical time for ASEAN. I mean something has to give. So I think this time is very significant.
