ASEAN leaders call for end of violence in Myanmar
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has said it is 'deeply concerned' about the violence in military-ruled Myanmar as Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for 'unity' among its 10 members, which are divided over how to handle the crisis.
Myanmar Junta leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing has all but ignored a five-point plan to end the violence. The plan was agreed at a special ASEAN summit two years ago, and violence has only intensified since.
'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 after summit discussions on Wednesday.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which admitted Myanmar as a member under a previous military regime, has been leading diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed under the current military government, sparked by its February 2021 coup, but the bloc has little to show for it.
The military's bombing of a village in the northern region of Sagaing last month killed dozens of people, and Human Rights Watch on Tuesday accused the armed forces of dropping a vacuum bomb.
At the weekend, the crisis hit closer to home when a humanitarian aid convoy, including diplomats from Singapore and Indonesia, came under fire from unknown attackers as it travelled in Shan State in eastern Myanmar.
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