Under the "non-interference" principle, ASEAN members avoid commenting about the domestic political affairs other members.

But comments of some of its political figures and regional meetings in March and April show that some ASEAN members now appear prepared to turn their backs on these cardinal principles — part of the ASEAN's political culture since its founding in 1967 — because of Burma's emergence as an economic and political liability.

In April, press reports quoted Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, a member of the Malaysian parliament and chairman of the ASEAN Interparliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC), as openly expressing frustration with the lack of progress in Myanmar, which became an ASEAN member in 1997.

Constructive engagement has long been cited by ASEAN as a way for the military junta to nudge Rangoon into more political openness as it becomes more integrated economically.

"I believe in this," Ibrahim said, "but if you talk of that then there must be some results. Otherwise it's called destructive engagement. We were promised, promised many times, in Bali, in Phnom Penh, in Vientiane, in Bangkok, about the imminent release of (opposition leader and Nobel laureate) Suu Kyi, about the release of political prisoners, a truly representative national convention to amend the constitution, the road map to democracy. But they're all broken promises."

He continued, "What sort of engagement do you want to do? I call on ASEAN leaders to show the kind of political strength, the maturity in dealing with this issue."

DISCOMFORT RISING

ASEAN countries' level of discomfort is rising especially because it is Burma's turn to become the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2006 — a fact expected to damage the regional group's international image.

Already the U.S. government and the European Union, which have imposed sanctions against Burma, have issued warnings against the junta taking on the ASEAN chairmanship.

But a 'retreat' of ASEAN foreign ministers in the Philippines on Apr. 11-12 also showed that individual remarks by some political figures are quite different from official governmental action.

The ASEAN officials said that any decision on the ASEAN chairmanship - and they have said this is by no means a given - would be aptly addressed at the official foreign ministers' annual meeting in July.

The United States and the European Union have indicated they would boycott ASEAN gatherings if Burma is at the helm, because of Rangoon's poor human-rights record.

Burma's foreign minister has rejected calls by the international community to stand aside, saying it is following a road map to political reform.

But it is clear that officials from ASEAN countries are becoming more vocal about Burma.

George Yeo, Singapore's foreign minister, conveyed this new, stern tone towards Burma in early March. It was subsequently echoed by Nazri Abdul Aziz, a minister in the Malaysian prime minister's office. Indonesia's foreign office has also expressed similar dissatisfaction towards the lack of political reform in Burma.

The 10 members of ASEAN are Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

''The prospect of Burma becoming ASEAN's chairman has become a catalyst for governments and legislators to act and display their pro-democracy credentials,'' Debbie Stothard of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN), a regional human rights lobby, told IPS.

''It was time that some ASEAN countries broke the culture of silence over Burma,'' Boonthan Verawongse of the Asia division of Dignity International, a global human rights body, said in an interview. ''Concerns about the lack of human rights and democracy in a country cannot be simply regarded as domestic matters.''

''We firmly believe quiet diplomacy to be the only way to deal with Myanmar,'' a former Thai deputy foreign minister said during a speech about the merits of constructive engagement shortly after Burma became an ASEAN member.

But realities are a different matter. The twin policies of non-interference and constructive engagement have helped the junta remain in power and this was reflected when Rangoon celebrated the country's Armed Forces Day in March.

On that occasion, Burma's strongman, Senior Gen Than Shwe, spoke of plans to usher in a ''disciplined'' democracy soon — which, to human rights monitors is an euphemism for a democracy where the ''military rules without uniforms''.

''This proves that the policies of non-interference and constructive engagement have failed to produce change in Burma,'' said Stothard. ''ASEAN is finally accepting reality.'' (END/Copyright IPS)