From The Eastern economic Review
By Colum Murphy
Barack Obama’s firts trip to Asia as president of the United States will come under especially close scrutiny this month from a constituency not often represented at the summit table. The region’s political prisoners and oppressed minorities are looking for a sign that Washington has not forgotten them. It could be a forlorn hope.
Some politicians and activists are disappointed with the Obama administration’s weak stance on human rights and democracy in the region. They question whether it grasps the important role which Asia — in particular Southeast Asia — could play in safeguarding U.S. interests.
Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s former prime minister and current leader of the opposition, is one figure urging more action from the White House. “Using a ‘soft-soft approach’ through diplomatic channels is all very fine,” he says. “But a clear position is required.”
Without such a position, Mr. Anwar argues, regimes in Asia will not change their ways. “Washington’s stance on human-rights issues carries tremendous weight,” he says. “When America states a clear position in support of human rights, freedom and the rule of law, the world listens, and this makes unscrupulous leaders and autocrats think twice before clamping down on the opposition.” (more…)
