‘That woman’

I got some grief from ladies who called me insensitive for referring to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi as “that woman” during a recent interview. I am not contrite about what I said, but I do apologize for what may have been perceived as gender insensitivity, which I assure was not intentional. But I have a reason for such show of emotion because when I was foreign secretary (during the Ramos administration), I personally hand carried a letter from former president Corazon Aquino addressed to the Myanmar leader at that time pleading for Madame Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest.

Over the years, we applauded her being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as being well deserved. We felt joy and vindication at the culmination of her struggles with her overwhelming election into office. But such is the weight of expectations from a global cult hero of freedom and human rights that we feel betrayed when she turned out to have feet of clay with her seeming indifference to the plight of the Rohingyas, which a UN body has described as “ethnic cleansing.” Those who were loyal supporters of Cory would be ashamed to be associated with “that woman” today. 

ASEAN leaders were also not forthcoming, merely saying that a number of them “expressed support to the Myanmar government in its efforts to bring peace, stability, rule of law and to promote harmony and reconciliation between the various communities.” The more significant fall out from the Rohingya crisis on ASEAN unity may yet arise from the way the ASEAN members voted on the UN General Assembly resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar.

Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia voted in favor along with 135 other countries, with Thailand and Singapore abstaining. The CLMV countries voted against and in an embarrassing show of unity, the Philippines sided with them. Russia and China, who are not paragons of virtue, also voted against. Our UN envoy Teddy Boy Locsin had recommended the Philippines abstain, since as current ASEAN chair, it would have been the more prudent and acceptable option considering how the ASEAN vote is split. To this I would add in support that we do have a large Muslim population (which the Rohingyas are) and it would have been prudent to take this into account moving forward. The resolution of our conflicts in Mindanao requires the support and cooperation of our neighbors.

 For the record, voting “No” is a departure from the image the Philippines has nurtured when it comes to oppressed people: Vietnamese refugees and sanctuary to those fleeing from the Bolshevik Revolution. I can only surmise that this decision to vote “No” took refuge with the principle of non-interference to justify it. This is a cop-out and renders meaningless the ASEAN commitment to its charter on protecting human rights. Is ASEAN now made up of people who live in glass houses and, therefore, should not throw stones?

Ironically, Suu Kyi wrote in an article for The Nation that "this policy of non-interference is just an excuse for not helping. In this day and age you cannot avoid interference in the matters of other countries.”

I agree with her, the Suu Kyi of 10 years ago. But circumstances have changed and so has she. The dreams of ASEAN someday evolving into an EU-like community “ain’t gonna happen” unless it gets over this outmoded “non-intervention” principle. Until then, it will have to be satisfied being a moderately successful regional trade bloc.

Source: http://iuvmpress.com, Sept. 6, ‘Return the Nobel Prize: Myanmar in Extremism and Genocide’

Paynor: Behind the scenes

Many complain that the ASEAN chairmanship has been short on substance but one cannot fault our impeccable hosting of the preparatory meetings which numbered over a hundred, culminating in the ASEAN Summit and the Dialogue Partners Summit that followed it. Once again, Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr.  has done a sterling job as he has for past administrations beginning with FVR to the present. Among some of the highlights of his recent work includes the visit of Pope Francis and our hosting of APEC, both in 2015. Unfortunately, his work has not been given the recognition it deserves in 2015 and today. It looks like he has been unwittingly caught up by insider politics in Malacañang, which is rather lamentable for someone who has been a career officer all his life just doing his job right.