The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is expressing concern over Burma's decision to exclude pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from future elections. The statement from ASEAN follows the completion of Burma's draft constitution. But the regional bloc still says it will not interfere in Burma's domestic affairs.
东南亚国家联盟对缅甸当局有关不准民主运动领袖昂山素季参加未来选举的决定表示关注。东盟是在缅甸通过宪法草案之后发表声明的。不过，东盟仍然表示不会干预缅甸的内部事务。
Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo says Burma's decision to bar Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in elections is odd and out of date. Singapore currently holds ASEAN's rotating leadership. Yeo spoke late Tuesday in Singapore, where foreign ministers from the 10-member organization are holding meetings.
新加坡外长杨荣文说，缅甸当局决定禁止昂山素季参加选举是奇怪的、过时的。新加坡目前是东盟的轮值主席。杨荣文星期二晚间在新加坡发表讲话。东盟10国正在新加坡举行外长会议。
But, in keeping with ASEAN's history of non-interference in member states' affairs, Yeo also said the group could do little about Burma's decision.
杨荣文同时表示，遵照东盟不干涉成员国内部事务的传统，东盟对缅甸当局的这项决定几乎不能采取任何行动。
On Tuesday, Burma's state-run radio said a 54-member commission had approved the draft constitution. It prohibits Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in elections because she was married to a foreigner. The democracy leader was married to a British national, who died of cancer in 1999.
缅甸官方电台星期二说，由54人组成的委员会已经批准了宪法草案。宪法草案规定，鉴于昂山素季与外国人结婚，因此不得参加选举。这位民主运动领袖与一个英国公民结婚，她的丈夫已于1999年死于癌症。
Roshan Jason is executive director of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus in Malaysia. He said ASEAN's statement on Burma was weak, especially since it recently signed a charter that calls on member states to protect human rights in the region.
罗山.贾森是东盟设在马来西亚的缅甸问题议会委员会负责人。他说，东盟针对缅甸发表的声明是软弱无力的，考虑到东盟最近刚刚签署了敦促成员国保护本地区人权的宪章，尤其是这样。
"I think ASEAN has failed in its first attempt to uphold its promises to make sure the region consists of countries which respect human rights," said Jason.
他说：“我认为，东盟在首次做出尝试的时候，就没有履行有关确保本地区各国都尊重人权的承诺。”
Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 12 of the last 18 years under detention, and is currently under house arrest in Rangoon. Her party won a landslide election in 1990, but the military government refused to recognize the results. Since then, it has prevented the party from taking office.
在以往18年期间，昂山素季受到12年拘押，目前被软禁在仰光。她的党在1990年选举中获得压倒胜利，但军政权拒绝承认选举结果。此后，军政权一直不准这个党的成员担任公职。
Jason said he does not expect ASEAN to take a stronger stance anytime soon, because addressing human rights in Burma could force other member states to acknowledge their own shortcomings.
贾森说，他不指望东盟会很快采取更强硬的立场，因为一旦涉及缅甸的人权问题，就会迫使其他国家承认本国的缺点。
"You have countries in the region as well, member states of ASEAN, who have, who are in their own way, levels, committing human rights abuses," noted Jason. "You've got draconian laws in various countries; you've got arbitrary arrests; you've got former military dictatorships taking the form of civil, political groups."
他说：“本地区还有东盟的其他成员国，这些国家也存在侵犯人权现象，只是方式和水平不同。一些国家存在严酷的法律，存在任意逮捕现象，一些前军事独裁政权换用了文官和政治组织的形式。”
Jason also says the bloc is choosing money over the basic rights of Burma's people, as many ASEAN members have strong business interests in Burma. ASEAN has argued that trade will help bring about reform in Burma, one of the poorest countries in the region.
贾森还说，很多东盟成员国在缅甸有着很大的商业利益，因此把金钱置于缅甸人民的基本人权之上。东盟坚持认为，贸易将有助于缅甸实行民主。缅甸是东南亚最贫穷的国家之一。
Burma says it will hold a national referendum in May to approve the new draft constitution. The international community has criticized the document because Aung San Suu Kyi and independent political parties were barred from the drafting process. Burma's military government says general elections will be held in 2010.
缅甸表示，将在今年5月举行一次全民公投，决定是否批准新宪法草案。昂山素季和独立政治党派被禁止参与这部宪法的起草过程，因此宪法草案受到国际社会的批评。缅甸军政府说，将在2010年举行大选。 |