Terrorism issue a test for ASEAN solidarity

MANILA - ASEAN is in a quandary how to handle international terrorism now aggravated by a fairly huge and restless Muslim populace in the Southeast Asian region.

As leaders of the 10-nation bloc prepare for its 34th summit meeting in Brunei next month, the region, roiled by Islamic insurgencies, has been sucked into a US-led global campaign against terrorism led by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden and supported by the ruling Taliban of Afghanistan.

On the whole, ASEAN has condemned the terrorists attacks in the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. But signs of disagreements on the method of dealing with terrorism have already surfaced. Three ASEAN countries - Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines - have been named by the United States as possible centers of the Muslim terrorists' expected heightened activities.

Agreeing that terrorism is a crime against humanity, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has opposed the use of force against the ruling Taliban government of Afghanistan where bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the attacks, has lived as a "guest" since 1996. At the outset, Mahathir urged the US government to abstain from bloody military retaliation following the September 11 terrorists attacks, saying that world leaders should study and understand the root causes of terrorism.

"Terrorism is resorted to by long-suffering peoples who are helpless against superior power," Mahathir said during a television interview. The Malysian leader said that conventional weapons have been rendered practically obsolete by the September 11 attacks and urged that new systems for intelligence, surveillance capacities and better photography from outer space be studied.

In Indonesia, President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the leader of the world's most populous Muslim nation, appears to be in a bind. Having pledged Indonesian support for Washington's fight against terrorism, Megawati faces the ire of Muslims and militants who have staged rowdy demonstrations against American establishments in Jakarta. Indonesian politicians have advised Megawati to take a clear stand on the US attack on Afghanistan and not to get stuck to a "wishy-washy attitude".

Singapore and Thailand, which both have significant Islamic populations, also fear the rise of Islamic militancy. Thai Prime Miniser Thanksin Shinawatra announced that Thailand has no policy to send troops against terrorists.

A clear sign that ASEAN members - which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar - will come to disagreements over terrorism was the cancellation of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting scheduled to take place before the summit meeting next month. The 10 ASEAN foreign ministers were supposed to issue a declaration on anti-terrorism to be formalized during the ASEAN Summit, which will be attended by the ASEAN head of states on the same month. ASEAN decides by consensus - meaning, a decision is made only when all agree.

Sponsored by the Philippines, the proposal calls for a subregional anti-terrorism coalition as a broader declaration for Southeast Asian leaders for adoption at the summit in Brunei to "symbolize ASEAN solidarity".

Holding a ministerial summit before its summit is an ASEAN tradition for 34 years. But it was broken for the first time to avoid disagreements in ASEAN over issuing a position paper on anti-terrorism.

Solidarity is the lifeblood of ASEAN, but isn't saving man from a terrible menace as important?

(Asia Pulse)