OP ED | Asean needs to take tougher stance vs Myanmar junta
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DURING its leaders’ summit in Indonesia this week, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) expressed deep concern about the festering violence in Myanmar, a country that has been in turmoil since the military junta ousted the civilian government more than two years ago.
The regional bloc was especially alarmed after a convoy of diplomats from its member-states that was delivering humanitarian aid to Myanmar was attacked by junta forces.
And last month, the military launched an air strike on a rebel-held village using “vacuum bombs” — several times more lethal than conventional munitions — killing 170 people, according to Human Rights Watch.
“We were deeply concerned [by the] ongoing violence in Myanmar and urged the immediate cessation of all forms of violence and the use of force to create a conducive environment for the safe and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogues,” the Asean leaders said in a statement. Such expressions of concern, however, have not persuaded the generals that rule Myanmar from ratcheting down the repression.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners believes that close to 3,000 civilians have been killed and 17,572 arrested since the junta wrested power in 2021.
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingLast year, the junta announced the execution of four democracy activists for “acts of terrorism.”
Asean has been trying to talk the junta into accepting a five-point plan to restore peace in Myanmar. It called for a stop to the fighting, a dialogue among all parties, assigning a special Asean envoy to facilitate mediation, providing humanitarian aid, and sending a delegation to Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned.
The junta’s chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, agreed to allow the delivery of humanitarian relief and limited dialogues, but has steadfastly refused to engage with his foes.
The harassment of the diplomats’ convoy last week highlights the risks of carrying out humanitarian operations in areas where fighting rages unabated.
Asean has tried to get Hlaing more engaged in the peace process by refusing to invite him to the high-level events like the leaders’ summits. The snub, however, doesn’t seem to be working.
The Myanmar crisis has stymied the regional bloc because it adheres to the principles of consensus and noninterference. Critics see this as a major flaw in the efforts of Asean to act decisively in resolving major issues.
It is the same flaw that prevents the group from putting up a united stand against the increasing brazenness of China in the South China Sea.
‘Quiet diplomacy’
There are reports that Indonesia, as the head of this year’s summit, will try to give the five-point plan for Myanmar a new push.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has indicated that her country was resorting to “quiet diplomacy” to arrange a substantive dialogue in Myanmar. However, another Indonesian minister warns that, unless the Asean puts its foot down, it runs the risk of becoming irrelevant as a regional peacemaker.
Any definitive action on Myanmar must be carried out before the next leaders’ summit in September. That is because Laos, which has close ties with Myanmar, assumes the Asean chairmanship. One analyst said Laos might allow Gen. Hlaing to attend the Asean summits.
Perhaps it’s time to hit the junta where it hurts most.
Early last year, several Western countries clamped sanctions against specific Myanmar personalities who are the junta’s big business partners.
The United States targeted officials of the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, the government’s prime revenue-generating company. Canada and the United Kingdom clamped down on firms supplying aviation fuel to the military. And Australia locked in on 16 junta members “responsible for egregious human rights abuses” and two military-controlled conglomerates.
The Asean could match that international initiative by restricting Myanmar’s trade with its neighbors.
In the last nine months, more than $3.5 billion worth of foreign goods have been shipped into the country.
China is Myanmar’s main trading partner, with the latter importing $6.53 billion in Chinese goods. But it also imports from Singapore ($2.45 billion), Thailand ($1.9 billion) and Indonesia ($1.07 billion).
Cutting off the inflow of goods and services through an Asean-imposed trade embargo could be the missing component for bringing back to Myanmar.
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