Bad Neighbor

International criticism of the Myanmar military junta for violent repression of recent protests includes US and EU sanctions and a UN Security Council condemnation. But the junta shows no signs of ending its brutal and rigid control. Neighboring states like China, India and the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are the largest economic partners of Burma, renamed Myanmar by the junta, yet have been less active with criticism. Many of the region's states are non-democratic and have little interest in punishing human-rights violations in a neighboring country, reports the Economist. But the Economist suggests that a tougher stance from ASEAN could deliver long-term benefits to the region, by slowing drug trafficking and improving stability in the region. By not taking action, the Economist argues that ASEAN risks being viewed as irrelevant and possibly being denied trade with Burma in the event of future regime change. – YaleGlobal