Asean Summit
Human rights activists call for more pressure on Myanmar’s junta
Flags outside the main hall of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. photo
© Bay Ismoyo/Pool AFP/AP/dpa
Murder, torture, sexual violence – according to activists, crimes against humanity are on the agenda in Myanmar. They are demanding much tougher action against the country from the Asean states.
At the start of its summit on the Indonesian island of Flores, human rights groups called on the Southeast Asian state association Asean to significantly increase the pressure on the military junta in Myanmar. The member country has not calmed down since a coup about two years ago, and civilians in particular are suffering from the ongoing bloody violence.
The junta recently intensified its “brutal and cruel campaign” to suppress any resistance from the population, the human rights organization Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) said on Wednesday. Murder, torture, sexual violence and repeated air raids are the order of the day.
“The regime can only survive because the world has reacted far too weakly after every crime against humanity,” said BHRN director Kyaw Win. “It can not go on like this.” The Asean group must finally accept that attempts to negotiate with the junta are pointless. Instead, the group of states must support the pro-democracy opposition.
To date no improvement
Critics have long accused the Asean community of not acting hard enough against Myanmar’s leadership. In April 2021, the member states agreed on a five-point plan to solve the crisis. Among other things, this provides for an immediate end to the violence and a dialogue between all parties to the conflict. To date, however, the junta has shown no will to fulfill the plan.
“ASEAN and the UN Security Council both need to reconsider their ineffective approaches to Myanmar’s junta and take stronger action,” said Human Rights Watch (HRW) Asia director Elaine Pearson. Recent attacks on civilians would amount to a war crime. The generals could only continue their brutal attacks because they would continue to be supplied with weapons.
Indonesia, the world’s largest island state, is chairing the Asean confederation this year, to which ten countries have belonged so far. At the 42nd summit in the fishing village of Labuan Bajo on Flores, East Timor’s future full membership will also be discussed. The meeting ends on Thursday.