ASEAN told to rethink non-interference

THE Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should move away from its long-standing “principle of non-interference” in the affairs of member states, according to the foreign minister of Malaysia, the bloc’s thirdwealthiest country.

Speaking at a conference held by Malaysia’s national human rights commission, Saifuddin Abdullah said there needs to be “a concerted ASEAN-wide solution to the situation in Myanmar,” where violence has raged since the army, which earlier ran the country for about a half a century from 1962, retook power in a February coup.

Abdullah said ASEAN’s “stakeholders” should “do some soul-searching” about Myanmar, and look at “the possibility of moving away from the principle of non-interference towards constructive engagement’ or non-indifference.’”

The bloc recently said a “non-political” representative would be invited to represent Myanmar instead of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing at ASEAN-led summits to be held next week and set to include sessions with leaders from China, Japan and the US.

According to Singapore’s Foreign Ministry, the decision aimed “to uphold ASEAN’s credibility” after a so-called “consensus,” agreed earlier this year to try resolve the political crisis in Myanmar, was stalled by the ruling military.

Myanmar’s former colonial ruler ritain on Tuesday said the junta would not be invited to take part in a December meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 nations and ASEAN member states.

ASEAN’s “stakeholders” should “do some soul-searching” about Myanmar, and look at “the possibility of moving away from the principle of non-interference towards ‘constructive engagement’ or ‘non-indifference.’”

Saifuddin Abdullah, foreign minister of Malaysia