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ASEAN struggles between need for consensus, standing by principles
The real problem facing ASEAN is in its decision-making mechanism, which requires a consensus from all 10-member countries. It takes only one member to object to any initiative and it’s a no-go.
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A protester makes the three-finger salute as Myanmar migrants living in Thailand take part in a rally outside the United Nations ESCAP building in Bangkok on March 5 calling for the release of political prisoners following the military coup in their homeland. (AFP/Jack Taylor)
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SEAN has been widely criticized, perhaps unfairly, for its failure to come up with any significant initiatives to stop the violence in Myanmar, one of its members, which erupted when the military grabbed power from civilian hands in February.
The violent crackdown against protesters by the military, now almost a daily occurrence, is making a complete mockery of all the humanitarian values contained in the ASEAN Charter that members have pledged to adhere. The junta obviously has no regard for the lives of its people and no respect for global public opinion, which has swiftly condemned its brutal actions.
This has put the other ASEAN members in a quandary. The world is turning to ASEAN and its members to take the lead to end the violence and help restore democracy and civilian rule. This is to be expected. If anyone can make a difference to the situation on the ground in Myanmar, it should be first and foremost its immediate neighbors.
Some analysts have wrongly attributed ASEAN’s impotence to the principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of other members. Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia have waived this principle in condemning the Myanmar junta and to call for the protection of civilian lives.
The real problem facing ASEAN is in its decision-making mechanism, which requires a consensus from all 10-member countries. It takes only one member to object to any initiative and it’s a no-go.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has been equally dysfunctional when it comes to stopping the Myanmar violence. Although the 20-member council makes decisions and resolutions by voting, some of the five permanent members have used their veto right, effectively preventing the UN from doing more. It has taken more than two months after the coup for UNSC to finally issue a strong resolution on Myanmar last week, condemning the use of violence against peaceful protesters and for the deaths of hundreds of civilians, including women and children.
Read also: ASEAN summit on Myanmar to be held in Jakarta: Brunei and Malaysia
