Regional Integration and The Myanmar Crisis: Navigating The Delicate Balance Between Human Rights and Non-Interference Policy In ASEAN

Abstract

Southeast Asian countries are currently grappling with a significant rise in authoritarianism within the region. In this context, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to play a pivotal role in safeguarding peace and prosperity throughout the region. However, the Myanmar crisis has exposed a deep fracture within ASEAN. The stability and tranquillity that have characterised at some times the ASEAN region are now severely threatened. The full-scale civil war in Myanmar, which originated from the coup d'état in 2021 following a protracted period of internal strife and the marginalisation of the Rohingya population, is not an isolated incident. Instances of conflict and coup d'états persist across ASEAN. For example, the 2014 coup in Thailand, the chronic crackdown in Cambodia and Vietnam, the tensions around the South China Sea, and the growing separatist movement in Papua illustrate the volatile policy landscape within ASEAN. This work's main objective is to address whether ASEAN should consider reforming its mechanisms, with particular attention to its no-interference policy. This paper relies on desk-based research, entailing a thorough review and analysis of the literature on ASEAN's political history. The study employs a critical literature review approach with a historical perspective on regionalism within ASEAN. By utilising the advanced constructivist theory concerning the concept of norms, this article analyses the repercussions of steadfastly adhering to certain norms, explicitly focusing on the principle of non-interference.