ASEAN leaders voice concern over Myanmar violence

• 

Southeast Asian countries expressed their "deep concern", on Wednesday, over the violence engulfing Myanmar and denounced a recent attack on a convoy of diplomats bringing in humanitarian goods.

Turmoil in junta-ruled Myanmar has been the focus of the talks at this week's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Indonesia, as the regional bloc came under attack for its perceived inaction.

ASEAN has led diplomatic attempts to solve the mounting crisis, but its efforts so far have failed to stem the bloodshed unleashed by a military coup in 2021.

"We were deeply concerned with 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," ASEAN leaders said in a statement.

According to a new report, companies across many #Western countries facilitated the junta in #Myanmar to manufacture the weapons used in their strikes against the opposition, thus fuelling the conflict in the #Asian country. pic.twitter.com/u6I2EP5AoB

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 19, 2023

The junta has turned a blind eye to international criticism and rejected to engage with its opponents, including ousted lawmakers, anti-coup "People's Defence Forces" in addition to armed ethnic minority groups.

The junta's isolation grew as a result of an airstrike on a village in a rebel stronghold last month that reportedly resulted in the deaths of roughly 170 people.

After a convoy of cars transporting diplomats and government representatives who were organizing ASEAN humanitarian aid in Myanmar came under fire on Sunday, pressure on the regional group grew.

Singapore and Indonesia reported earlier that staff from their embassies in Myanmar were in the vehicles that came under fire in the eastern Shan State but were unhurt.

"We condemned the attack and underlined that the perpetrators must be held accountable," ASEAN leaders said in their statement.

Addressing the summit Wednesday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said he was "confident" the 10-member bloc could tackle mounting global challenges if its members were united.

"With unity, ASEAN will be able to play a central role in bringing peace and growth," Widodo said through a translator as he opened the leaders' session of the summit.

The big picture

Foreign ministers and national leaders meeting on the Indonesian island of Flores are trying to jumpstart a five-point plan agreed upon with Myanmar two years ago after mediation attempts to stop the violence failed.

Myanmar is still a part of ASEAN, but over accusations of its inability to carry out the peace plan, it is no longer allowed to participate in high-level summits.

Due to domestic elections, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha is represented at the twice-yearly session by his deputy. 

The army sent more than 9,000 soldiers, warships, and F-16 fighter jets to the little fishing town that serves as the gateway to Komodo National Park, where visitors may see the largest lizards in the world, before the arrival of officials in Labuan Bajo.

With Jakarta serving as the group's chairman this year, there were hopes that ASEAN could use its combined diplomatic and economic clout to advocate for a peaceful resolution.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Friday that her country was using "quiet diplomacy" to speak with all sides of the Myanmar conflict and spur recommenced peace efforts.

But a senior Indonesian minister said Tuesday that ASEAN was at a "crossroad" and risked becoming irrelevant if it failed to deal with Myanmar and other regional emergencies. 

ASEAN's charter principles of consensus and non-interference have hindered its capabilities to stop the violence in Myanmar, which critics say presents an existential threat to the bloc.

"Indonesia has indicated they are planning to release an implementation plan for the five-point consensus," said Aaron Connelly, an analyst for International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, as quoted by AFP.

"I don't think that there's going to be very much there that will surprise people."

It is worth noting that ASEAN is a political and economic union that was established in 1967 to foster economic, political, military, and cultural cooperation among Southeast Asian countries. 

Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are among its ten members. Since 1996, China has been an ASEAN full dialogue partner.

ASEAN states have been frustrated by the US failure to detail plans for economic engagement since Trump's withdrawal from a regional trade pact in 2017. 

Read next: New US-Led Alliances Seek to Erode ASEAN-Centric Formats: Lavrov