ASEAN Urges Unity And Credibility Amid Talks On Myanmar Crisis

11-7-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), emphasized the importance of unity within the regional bloc to maintain its credibility, as foreign ministers gathered for discussions that are expected to address the challenging issue of engaging Myanmar’s isolated ruling generals.

The meeting took place in Jakarta amidst growing doubts about ASEAN’s effectiveness, particularly regarding how to approach the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and the junta’s failure to implement an agreed ASEAN peace plan.

During her opening remarks at Tuesday’s plenary session, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi did not directly mention Myanmar. However, she highlighted the need for ASEAN to demonstrate credibility in order to have an impact.

“It is crucial for us to show that ASEAN can navigate the regional and global dynamics and continue to foster a culture of collaboration,” Minister Marsudi stated. “We can only achieve this by maintaining ASEAN’s unity and centrality.”

INDONESIA’S PEACE INITIATIVE

Myanmar has been plagued by violence since the military seized power in early 2021, leading to a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy activists, the emergence of armed resistance, and an escalation of conflict.

ASEAN has excluded the junta from its high-level meetings due to its failure to fulfill a “five-point consensus” agreed upon two years ago, which includes ending hostilities.

Indonesia has been making efforts to facilitate a peace process through behind-the-scenes engagements with key stakeholders. However, these efforts faced setbacks when Thailand organized its own meeting last month to discuss re-engaging with the Myanmar military, a move that was widely criticized for undermining Jakarta’s work.

Notably, the foreign ministers of key ASEAN members abstained from attending Thailand’s meeting, with only representatives from Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos present, and some countries sending junior officials.

Sources familiar with Indonesia’s peace initiative have revealed that all parties involved have set preconditions for even informal talks, complicating the process.

Last week, Minister Marsudi emphasized that a “zero-sum approach” would hinder the achievement of lasting peace.

Human rights organizations and several United Nations experts have accused Myanmar’s military of widespread atrocities against civilians, while the military claims to be fighting “terrorists.”

Recently, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, called on the UN Security Council to refer the escalating violence to the International Criminal Court and for countries to halt the supply of weapons to the junta.

Tuesday’s meetings precede the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum scheduled for later this week, with the participation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

China confirmed on Tuesday that its Foreign Minister Qin Gang would not attend the meetings due to health reasons. Instead, Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi will represent the country, confirming an earlier Reuters report based on insider information.