ASEAN must show genuine commitment and effort in addressing Myanmar crisis

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Tin Zar Lynn (NP News) - Dec 10

Most leaders of the Associ­ation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and some political activists hope that the upcoming informal talks in Thailand on the Myanmar crisis will help garner support for the five-point consensus proposed by ASEAN leaders during the 2021 summit. The tentative schedule for these informal consultations is set for December 20. During the 8th ASEAN Media Forum held recently in the Lao capital, Vientiane, Chatoulong Bouasisavath, the Director-General of Laos' ASEAN Department, stated that the current ASEAN Chairman, Laos; the previous Chair, Indonesia; and the next Chair, Malaysia, known as the Troika, will participate in the discussions.

This collaborative approach aims to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. The five-point consensus, which calls for an immediate cessation of violence and dialogue among all parties, remains a cornerstone of ASEAN's efforts to address the crisis.

During these years, ASEAN focuses on Myanmar issue significantly. Furthermore, the respective leaders of ASEAN became to focus on Myanmar crisis is also profound. It may be a welcome thing that it shows Myanmar crisis matter for them. But the most centralization of Myanmar affair on the regional arena is sometimes like seeing Myanmar as a problematic member.

During these years, ASEAN has placed significant focus on the Myanmar issue. Furthermore, the attention of ASEAN leaders towards the Myanmar crisis has become increasingly pronounced. While it may be seen as a positive development that the Myanmar crisis matters to them, the centralization of Myanmar's affairs in the regional arena can sometimes give the impression of Myanmar being viewed as a problematic member.

Actually, the Myanmar crisis is primarily an internal issue, and it should be resolved by the government and the involved parties within the country. According to the ASEAN Charter, member countries are prohibited from intervening in the internal affairs of other member states, emphasizing the principle of non-interference. While regional cooperation and dialogue are important, it is ultimately up to Myanmar's stakeholders to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis. ASEAN's role, therefore, should focus on facilitating dialogue and offering support, rather than direct intervention.

The five points of consensus (5PC) are: an immediate end to violence, dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, the provision of humanitarian assistance by ASEAN, and allowing an ASEAN special envoy to visit Myanmar to meet with all parties. However, despite the initiation of the five-point consensus nearly three years ago, none of these points have been effectively imple­mented.

ASEAN is stepping up efforts to facilitate dialogue among all parties, as reflected in the recent 2024 summit, where ASEAN leaders "urged all parties involved to take concrete action to immediately halt indiscriminate violence." This call for action must be urgently implemented if the Myanmar crisis is to be resolved swiftly. However, despite these calls for dialogue, the discussions among all parties have mostly remained rhetorical, with no significant progress or events to show for it. The continued lack of tangible outcomes raises concerns about the effectiveness of the current approach to ending the crisis.

The absence of a permanent ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar can be seen as a weakness in ASEAN's ongoing efforts to implement the 5PC. In reality, there is no designated special envoy to Myanmar who has been appointed unanimously by ASEAN leaders. Instead, the rotating ASEAN chair appoints its respective foreign minister as the special envoy. This results in a shifting special envoy each year, with varying approaches to engaging with the Myanmar crisis. These changing leaderships and inconsistent strategies have led to a lack of significant impact in addressing the crisis effectively.

With regard to humanitarian assistance by ASEAN, there has been no significant humanitarian aid directly led by ASEAN. The only notable initiative is the Thailand humanitarian corridor to Myanmar, which can be mentioned as an example. However, since it is an initiative by a single member country, the aid provided is limited to the border areas and cannot address the broader humanitarian needs across Myanmar. ASEAN's lack of a coordinated, region-wide humanitarian response highlights the gap in addressing the full scale of Myanmar’s crisis, making it difficult to provide comprehensive support to those in need throughout the country.

Furthermore, most discussions led by ASEAN on the Myanmar crisis exclude representatives from Myanmar itself. As a result, many of their resolutions can be seen as lacking reflection of the desires and needs of the affected country. This exclusion undermines the legitimacy and effectiveness of the proposed solutions, as they fail to incorporate the pers­pectives of those most directly impacted by the crisis.

I also hope that the upcoming informal discussions hosted by Thailand will lead to some significant outcomes. It is essential that Myanmar be allowed to participate and engage in addressing its issues alongside other ASEAN members on an equal footing. Without Myanmar’s active participation, how­ever, ASEAN’s policies and resolutions may end up being just another round of dialogue, similar to past efforts, without leading to concrete action or resolution of the crisis.

In conclusion, ASEAN must adopt a more genuine and consistent approach to addressing the Myanmar crisis, one that incorporates the voices of all parties. Without meaningful engagement and effective imple­mentation of the five-point consensus, ASEAN's efforts will continue to fall short of achieving lasting peace and stability in Myanmar.

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