Editorial: Supporting heartless generals

Tue, 05/13/2008 10:39 AM  |  Opinion

As Myanmar's generals continue to heartlessly prioritize the success of their questionable constitutional referendum in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, which hit the impoverished nation last week, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands more homeless, Indonesia's persistent defense of the ruthless junta becomes very hard to justify.

As the country with the largest region, highest population and largest democracy in Southeast Asia, it is scandalous for Indonesia to condone the negligent acts of Myanmar's army generals in refusing to aid the cyclone victims.

Indonesia's government has always acted correctly in allowing foreign missions to help victims of natural disasters, although there are always certain cynical Indonesians who consider the charitable deeds of foreigners to be motivated by their desire to play the role of the good Samaritan.

On Saturday, the junta held a national referendum to ratify a new constitution, but whatever the outcome, nothing will change in Myanmar.

With strong backing from energy-thirsty India and China, the generals have the final say on how they treat their people. Their reluctance to receive humanitarian aid stems from their fear that the arrival of thousands of social workers could change the region's political constellation.

In his statement last week, Indonesia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Marty Natalegawa, rejected, along with China, France's proposal for the Security Council to ratchet up pressure on Myanmar to grant full access to foreign aid workers.

The United Nations estimates about 1.5 million refugees need emergency food and medical aid.

"We think there are other better forums to discuss the humanitarian dimension of the Myanmar situation," Indonesian Ambassador Marty Natalegawa told reporters ahead of a Security Council meeting last week, as quoted by Reuters.

"There is already a readiness on the part of Myanmar to open itself to assistance," he said. "The last thing we would want is to give a political spin to the technical realities and the situation on the ground."

We do not intend to blame Ambassador Marty or the Foreign Ministry for their harsh stance, because it is the President who is in charge of all government policies.

The government can cite as many reasons as it likes to defend its protection of Myanmar's brutal generals, but one thing is very sure; whatever method it wishes to use, Indonesia must remember that Myanmar promoted the opening of then war-torn Aceh to international humanitarian missions after the devastation caused by the December 2004 tsunami.

No matter how honest President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's conviction that constructive engagement is the most effective way to persuade his Army-general-colleagues in Myanmar, letting the generals deny international assistance is not only ridiculous, but against our sense of humanity.

Indonesia is morally accountable for its failure to save lives if its President stubbornly prefers ineffective quiet diplomacy in persuading junta chief Gen. Khin Nyut.

It is also ridiculous to see how the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) prefer to use a bilateral approach in pressing Myanmar to open its door to international aid.

If the deaths, suffering and starvation continues unabated, will ASEAN leaders continue to allow Gen. Khin Nyut to commit gross human rights violations?

ASEAN leaders must pressure Khin Nyut not to let Myanmarese people unnecessarily suffer and die just because the local generals have no heart. By no means can Myanmar cope with such a calamity. The leaders are just too arrogant to humiliate themselves a little bit for the sake of the poor victims.

Even if Khin Nyut is successful in covering up the true number of victims, the truth will eventually escape, and the Myanmarese will find the courage to defy their leaders when their desperate living conditions become unjustifiable.

As was proved by his merciless actions against Buddhist monks last year, Khin Nyut and his army comrades will not hesitate to defend their power at any cost.

We call on President Yudhoyono to prove that he is capable of saving hundreds of thousands of Myanmar victims. If he fails, the death and sufferings of those innocent victims will haunt this nation that prides itself on being the champion of humanity.

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