Our neighbour to the west continues to bluster, obfuscate and prevaricate over what it must do. With the recent succession of military musical chairs and semi-coups, poor Burma has plumbed new depths in its world standing. Its continuing refusal to accept decent norms in the treatment of its own people and its neighbours debases Burmese and embarrasses its friends. The time is approaching for Burma to become chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. If that happens while Burma remains a military dictatorship, continues repressing its democrats and refuses to discuss change, many Asean activities will grind to a halt and the world will simply stop doing much diplomatic business with the regional group. That cannot happen. If Burma will not change or adapt, it does not deserve to be chairman of the vital regional group.
Freedom House of America released its annual list last week of ``The Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies 2005'', and Burma makes that list easily, along with Belarus, Haiti and Chechnya among the selected few. Transparency International rates Burma as the most corrupt country on five continents, with only four feudal African basket cases as worse. The International Narcotics Control Board ranks Burma as the region's biggest illicit drug centre, second to Afghanistan in opium and heroin production but unrivalled as a source and active peddler of methamphetamines and designer nightclub drugs, a growing market sector.
The Thai government is starting to look a little lonely as the chief defence counsel for the military dictators. To be fair, it is not entirely alone. Last week, a report commissioned by the European Union and written by two respected observers recommended that Brussels cave in. Researchers Robert Taylor of Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and Morten Pederson of the International Crisis Group made a dozen recommendations. Among them: Call it Myanmar as the generals wish, exchange high-level political visits, restore aid, and "revise'' the strong sanctions Europe has kept on the dictators for years.
Mr Taylor and Mr Pederson realise their report needs instant defence, and insist that "to recognise the political reality... is not to pander or kowtow to the interests of the generals''. Of course that is exactly what it would do, as even the special United Nations envoy to Burma has stated. Razali Ismail, one of Asia's most respected diplomats, has been locked out of Burma for a year. He says it is time to apply more pressure on the generals, who are swimming against the tide of democracy. His boss, Secretary-General Kofi Annan, wants to abolish the UN Commission on Human Rights rather than allow Burma to get the rotating seat for which it shortly will be eligible.
The European Union will consider its report and its options. As of now, European leaders boycott Burma, and bar Burmese officials from the entire EU territory. The United States has not closed the door to doing business with Asean in 2007 _ not quite anyway. But absent at least a show of good faith from the military junta, America says it will be difficult to attend meetings in Burma. The Malaysian parliament seems to feel the right thing to do is to skip the Burmese presidency. Philippines lawmakers have called for the release of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Only the personal leadership of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has kept a lid on discussion of Burma by Thai parliamentarians.
The government faces a dilemma over Burma, but that is the fault of the junta. If Thailand encourages democrats in Burma, that could trigger border crises and lead the generals to renew their irrational punishment of innocent Thai businessmen. Meanwhile, Thailand remains host to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who are not even recognised by Burma. Still, the Foreign Ministry and government should re-examine their role. Many see Thailand as the defender of Burma, rather than of Thai interests. This is a bad message for Thailand, and a terrible image to reflect to the world.