Myanmar crisis deepens as Military Junta ignores ASEAN peace plan

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A United Nations expert has emphasized the need for a fundamental reconsideration of the global approach to the crisis in Myanmar.

Thomas Andrews, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, conveyed to journalists in Jakarta that there has been no progress in implementing the five-point peace plan agreed upon by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Myanmar’s coup leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, shortly after he seized power in February 2021.

The ASEAN plan aimed to cease violence immediately, ensure safe humanitarian access, and facilitate inclusive dialogue to restore peace.

However, the military junta displayed no willingness to implement these measures. In the subsequent months, the military government intensified its efforts to suppress opposition, allegedly committing indiscriminate attacks that could amount to war crimes. As a result, over 1.5 million individuals have been displaced from their homes, according to the United Nations.

Simultaneously, clashes between the military and armed groups, including the People’s Defence Forces and various ethnic armed groups with longstanding conflicts, have escalated.

A local monitoring group reports that 3,679 people have been killed, and numerous others have been imprisoned.

Andrews expressed his views during his visit to Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, which coincided with indications of disagreement within the 10-member group regarding how to address the situation in Myanmar.

Thailand’s outgoing government hosted talks on Monday, claiming they were intended to “fully re-engage” with the military. However, Malaysia and Indonesia boycotted the meeting, while Singapore said such discussions were premature.

Andrews argued that ASEAN should not invite Myanmar’s military representatives to high-level diplomatic gatherings, as it would potentially lend legitimacy to the coup.

Following the military’s failure to implement the five-point plan, ASEAN had previously prohibited Myanmar’s generals from attending its summits. Myanmar became a member of ASEAN in 1997 during a previous military regime.

Source – Indonesia News