Myanmar's military junta responds to ASEAN's call to end violence

Ryan General
Thu, September 7, 2023 



[Source]

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has issued a stern condemnation against Myanmar's military junta for its continued violence during the group’s recent summit held in Jakarta.

A call to end violence: Leaders from the 10-member group urged the junta and all related parties in Myanmar on Tuesday to "de-escalate violence and stop targeted attacks on civilians, houses, and public facilities, such as schools, hospitals, markets, churches, and monasteries."

The group also expressed grave concerns over the junta’s lack of substantial progress in implementing the Five-Point Consensus, a peace plan aimed at ending the conflict that the military coup started in February 2021. Attacks reportedly escalated that year after the military junta took over Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.

A more assertive approach: The statement, officially titled the “ASEAN Leaders’ Review and Decision on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus,” marks the first time the group directly blamed the military for the escalation of violence in Myanmar.

The bloc, which had faced criticism for its perceived soft stance on the junta in the past, has also decided to assign its chairmanship of the ASEAN in 2026 to the Philippines instead of Myanmar.

Domestic affair: In a statement published in its state-run newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, Myanmar's foreign ministry responded to ASEAN's condemnation on Wednesday, accusing the group of being "one-sided" and not considering their perspective.

The junta also asserted that Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, had consulted them on the draft but still rejected their stance. Myanmar then called for ASEAN member nations to adhere strictly to the group's non-interference principle in the domestic affairs of member countries.