Burma deadlock demands an ad-hoc |'coalition of the willing'
Source : BK Sen, The Nation
Your editorial on "Time for Asean to act on Burma" [The Nation, September 24] is a brilliant contribution to the concept of international law.
Another editorial [September 17] "Intervention, an impossible task" and an article on "Canadian diplomacy stands at the crossroads" [September 18] are further materials for a case study of Burma.
They were followed by the UN Secretary General's proposal for setting up an Asean Troika to help resolve the political deadlock in Burma by bringing about dialogue between the ruling junta and the opposition headed by leader Suu Kyi.
To climax the issue is the US President's statement: "Those who rule Burma should know all of us are watching carefully what happens."
The media role that The Nation |has been playing towards accel-|erating the process of the transition of stalled democracy in Burma is laudable. Its editorial observation -"Conditions in Burma have reached a critical point, and the Burmese people can no longer endure the situation" - is poignant.
Does it not merit formation of an ad-hoc "coalition of the willing" as has been done in the case of East Timor by Australia and New Zealand to engage the military junta to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe?
UN Charter Article 1 and Article 2 of the Universal Declaration invalidate military regimes and their taking refuge under "interference in internal affairs". And if the Security Council fails to intervene, the remedy is by way of engagement by the ad-hoc body mentioned above.