I do not know what serious crime Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's pro-democracy leader, had committed but surely the 14 years already spent in house arrest should be enough mitigation for her immediate and unconditional release. But no, not in Myanmar as long as the powerful military regime still calls the shot. She was sentenced to another 3 years of 'hard labour and imprisonment' in a court verdict announced yesterday. The fact that the regime instantly commuted the sentence to 'just 1 1/2 years of continued house arrest' did not stop worldwide outrage and condemnation of the court ruling.
But that is only what it is: international condemnation and outcry across the free world. We had heard that before, and it is the very reason why the pro-democracy icon is still under house arrest today.
UN has lost its relevance and moral authority to even comment on the matter. It should have addressed and resolved this issue a long time ago. If trade sanctions did not help, how about expulsion from the world body? Neither happened.
Same goes for ASEAN. Myanmar is still very much an active member of the regional bloc supposedly established to promote peace, free trade, democracy and fight against terrorism. The question of Myanmar's expulsion from ASEAN was not, and had never been, on its agenda.
Sadly, the same goes for Singapore. It did not hold back from providing medical and humanitarian support to troubled spots in the Middle-East or East Asia but all it does on the Aung San Suu Kyi's case was to issue a statement expressing its 'utter disappointment' at the latest court verdict.
Singapore could have done more in the name of justice and democracy.
Sigh!
Writer: Peter Chang
email: peterchanglc@gmail.com
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