亚洲—缅甸担任东南亚联盟轮值主席国受阻

Southeast Asian Politicians Take Action to Block Burma

from Heading ASEAN

缅甸担任东南亚联盟轮值主席国受阻

A group of Singapore legislators have formed a parliamentary caucus 1 to push for reforms in Burma. The Singaporeans join growing numbers of politicians around Southeast Asia who want Burma to either reform, or withdraw from the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year.

The formation last week of the Singapore legislators' Burma caucus ramps 2 up the pressure on military government in Rangoon to change - or back away from the leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Peresa Kok is an opposition 3 member of parliament in Malaysia, and takes note of the growing calls for Burma to improve its human rights performance and allow democratic reforms.

Peresa Kok: Singapore MPs have mentioned the issue of Burma in their parliament and the foreign minister has also answered questions on Burma. And for the Philippines - the resolution on Burma has been passed by both houses.

In Thailand, more than 80 senators have backed calls for Burma to pass up its turn to take ASEAN's rotating chairmanship next year. Last week, Indonesia's parliament passed a resolution calling on the government to boycott 4 ASEAN meetings if Burma takes the helm.

Several Malaysian politicians plan to present a resolution on the issue for a vote when Parliament reconvenes later this month.

Among other things, these regional politicians are growing frustrated 5 with the continued detention 6 of Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who turns 60 this month.

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for most of the past 15 years. The military refused to give up power after her party, the National League for Democracy, won national elections in 1990, and has placed thousands of NLD supporters under arrest.

The military, which has ruled for more than 40 years, has opened a national convention to draft a new constitution, which Rangoon says will pave the way for general elections.

But progress on drafting the constitution has been slow, and the NLD and some ethnic 7 minority groups have no voice in the convention. As a result, many regional political analysts 8 fear any new constitution will merely solidify 9 the military's grip on power.

Since its early days in the 1960s, ASEAN has followed a strict policy of not interfering 10 in its members' internal affairs. But Burma is testing that policy, as many regional leaders and business people fear that Rangoon's resistance to change could hurt crucial relations with the United States and the European Union.

Both have threatened to boycott ASEAN meetings next year if Burma takes the chair.

Some political analysts think the creation of the Singapore parliamentary caucus could signal a new push against Burma. Singapore's government has long supported Rangoon and Singapore businesses invest heavily in Burma. But while visiting Rangoon in March, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong reportedly warned that developments in Burma could affect all of ASEAN.

Debbie Stothard, the coordinator 11 for the rights group the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma.

Debbie Stothard: The launch of the Singaporean caucus marks something of a coming of age for the ASEAN regional caucus, many people thought that it would be extremely difficult to launch a Singapore parliamentary caucus on Burma.

Ms. Stothard hopes the Singapore caucus will encourage conservative lawmakers throughout the region to support their own national caucuses 12 on Burma.

Debbie Stothard: We do not expect Singaporean parliamentarians to take a position that's going to be in radical 13 opposition or confrontation 14 with their own government, Government MPs are pretty much close to the government line.

Soe Aung, a spokesman for the exiled National Council of the Union of Burma, says the different parliamentary caucuses highlight the growing frustration 15 within ASEAN over Burma.

Soe Aung: The caucuses were set up because not only the awareness 16 of the people in their countries on Burma but also the governments realize they cannot adhere only to the ASEAN cardinal 17 principles of non-interference.

One factor that may fuel to the ASEAN push for Burmese reforms is that in the past two decades many of the 10 countries have undergone extensive reforms, increasing democracy and allowing greater political and economic freedoms. Having made these changes at home, many politicians are reluctant to be associated with a repressive regime.

The issue of Burma's ASEAN chairmanship is expected to take center stage next month, during the group's annual foreign minister's meeting in Laos - which U.S. and EU officials attend. Several ASEAN governments reportedly are seeking a face-saving compromise that will allow Burma to gracefully 18 back out from taking the chair.

Ron Corben for VOA news, Bangkok.

注释：

caucus [5kC:kEs] n.（政党的）领导人秘密会议，核心小组会议

Burma [5bE:mE] n. 缅甸

Association of Southeast Asian Nations 东南亚联盟（东盟）

Rangoon [rAN5^u:n] n. 仰光（缅甸首都）

take note of 注意到

take the helm 掌握权力

reconvene [5ri:kEn5vi:n] vt. 重新集合，重新召集

detention [di5tenFEn] n. 拘留，禁闭

NLD 缅甸全国民主联盟

pave the way 为……铺平道路

solidify [sE5lidifai] v.（使）团结，巩固

cardinal [5kB:dinEl] adj. 主要的，最重要的

interference [7intE5fiErEns] n. 冲突，干涉

reluctant [ri5lQktEnt] adj. 勉强的，不愿意的

take the chair 做主席，主持会议