A UN expert has emphasized the need for a fundamental reconsideration of the global approach to the crisis in Myanmar.
Thomas Andrews, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, conveyed to journalists in Jakarta that there has been no progress in implementing the five-point peace plan. The plan was agreed by ASEAN and Myanmar’s coup leader, shortly after he seized power in February 2021.
The ASEAN plan aimed to cease violence immediately, ensure safe humanitarian access, and facilitate inclusive dialogue to restore peace. However, the military junta has displayed no willingness to implement these measures.
In the subsequent months, the military government intensified its efforts to suppress opposition. The government has allegedly committed indiscriminate attacks that could amount to war crimes. As a result, over 1.5 million individuals have been exiled from their homes, according to the UN.
Simultaneously, clashes between the military and armed groups, including the People’s Defense Forces have escalated. A local monitoring group reports that 3,679 people have been killed, and numerous others have been imprisoned.
Andrews expressed his views during his visit to Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, which coincided with Thailand’s host talks regarding how to address the situation in Myanmar.
Andrews argued that ASEAN should not invite Myanmar’s military representatives to high-level diplomatic gatherings, as it would potentially legitimate the coup.
Following the military’s failure to implement the five-point plan, ASEAN had previously prohibited Myanmar’s generals from attending its summits. Myanmar became a member of ASEAN in 1997 during a previous military regime.
Source: bignewsnetwork.com
