14-9-2023 (YANGON) A notable absence of air force chiefs from several Southeast Asian countries was witnessed at a conference in Myanmar this week, following the ASEAN regional bloc’s accusation against the ruling junta of targeting civilians in their post-coup crackdown.
The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) had condemned the junta for disregarding a peace plan agreed upon with the bloc to quell the violence that erupted in the wake of the military regime’s coup.
While Myanmar remains a member of ASEAN, its military rulers have been excluded from high-level bloc meetings since their takeover.
Annually, the air force chiefs of the 10-nation bloc convene to discuss cooperation in defense, counterterrorism efforts, and disaster relief. This year, Myanmar is hosting the conference, which began on Wednesday (Sep 13) and is slated to run until Friday.
However, it was noted that the air force chiefs of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore did not attend the conference, as reported by the junta’s information team.
In contrast, air force chiefs from Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam did arrive in Naypyidaw, the military-built capital of Myanmar, on Tuesday, as confirmed by the junta’s information team late on Wednesday.
Myanmar’s Air Force Chief, Htun Aung, who has been sanctioned by both the United States and Britain, held separate meetings with each visiting official to discuss “cooperation between the ASEAN air forces,” according to the statement.
Instead of attending in person, the chiefs of the Philippines and Singapore air forces chose to send video messages for discussions on the topic of “Co-operation for a Sustainable Environment.”
ASEAN has led diplomatic efforts to address Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, which has displaced over 1.5 million people, according to the United Nations. However, these efforts have yet to yield tangible results.
Notably, Thailand has engaged in bilateral talks with the Myanmar junta in recent months, causing divisions within the ASEAN bloc. In July, Thailand’s then-Foreign Minister reported that he had met with Myanmar’s deposed democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, marking her first-known meeting with a foreign envoy since her detention following the 2021 coup.
