ASEAN faces criticism over engaging Myanmar militaries

Guwahati: A large number of Myanmar-centric outfits express disappointment over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leadership for engaging the military junta officials in the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on 25 July 2024 in Vientiane of Laos. A group of 333 civil society organizations and revolutionary forces commented that the ASEAN simply failed the five-point consensus (5PC) on Myanmar (also known as Burma and Brahmadesh) as no representative from legitimate dialogue partners lie the National Unity Government (NUG) and other ethnic resistance organizations were not invited for the meeting.
Meanwhile, the ASEAN meet advocated for initiating pragmatic actions with an aim to resolve the Myanmar crisis at the earliest. The foreign ministers’ meeting also witnessed frustrations expressed by some of the biggest members (read Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia) over the junta’s unwillingness to honour its commitment to dialogues since the military coup was orchestrated on 1 February 2021.
“With further losses in Rakhine State, Mandalay Region, and in northern Shan State in recent weeks, the perception that the military junta is in control of the country becomes even more untenable. There is a clear direction of travel in the people’s revolution in Myanmar, and it is not going the way that military chief Min Aung Hlaing and his cruel generals and cabal of cronies want it to. Yet international actors clinging on to the junta as some form of legitimate partner in any future resolution are not only ignorant of history, but a betrayal of the people of Myanmar in their collective and persistent fight for federal democracy,” said the joint statement.
The junta’s ongoing war of terror against Myanmar’s people killed thousands of civilians and displaced 2,914,400 people. Some 70,000 individuals have sought refuge in Thailand, Bangladesh and India since the coup. A large number of Myanmar refugees were also sent back in recent days. Recently 66 Myanmar refugees, detained in Manipur of northeast India, even conducted a hunger strike demanding their immediate and safe release as they remained detained despite having completed their sentences and paid their fines.
Finally it’s urged that the ASEAN should stop inviting the illegitimate junta’s representatives to all ASEAN meetings and forums, whether they be political or non-political representatives, and join current international efforts and push for stronger coordinated action such as an aviation fuel ban and a global arms embargo. Many other international actors are keen to follow ASEAN’s lead, and this places great responsibility on the regional bloc. It is probably the time for ASEAN to ditch its failed 5PC and support the people of Myanmar and their aspirations for federal democracy and a final end to the violence and impunity of a sadistic military regime.