Myanmar’s worsening violence took center stage at this week’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Vientiane, Laos, as regional leaders grappled with the inability to implement their Five-Point Consensus.
This outline for peace agreed upon nearly four years ago, calls for an end to the violence in the country, constructive dialogue among the parties, humanitarian aid and appointment of a special envoy from each ASEAN country to facilitate peace talks.
The Myanmar junta’s noncompliance is widely blamed for the slow progress since the drafting of the consensus in early 2021 in Jakarta, Indonesia, frustrating ASEAN leaders.
This year, for the first time since being barred for noncompliance in late 2021, a senior official from Myanmar’s Foreign Affairs Ministry was allowed to attend the summit, including a two-day retreat attended by the foreign ministers of the nine other ASEAN countries.
This development followed Laos’ behind-the-scenes negotiations between its special envoy and the Myanmar junta, a senior ASEAN diplomat told VOA.
“Laos, as the rotating chairman, negotiated with the junta, which allowed Myanmar’s representative to attend,” the diplomat said.
It remains uncertain if this will lead to meaningful progress on the crisis.
The last junta representative to attend an ASEAN meeting was its leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Days after agreeing to the consensus, he characterized it as “suggestions by ASEAN leaders” that it would consider “when the situation returns to stability.”
An ASEAN diplomat who attended the summit confirmed to VOA that Myanmar’s representative, Permanent Secretary Aung Kyaw Moe, did not speak during the summit meetings. However, at the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting before the summit, he expressed Myanmar’s appreciation for ASEAN’s efforts and urged caution in the language used when discussing Myanmar-related issues.
Diverse ASEAN approaches emerge
Thailand reiterated its long-standing stance that any resolution to the Myanmar crisis must come from within the country itself. “Thailand remains committed to facilitating internal consultations. Any solution must be Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned,” Nikorndej Balankura, a spokesperson for Thailand’s Foreign Ministry, told VOA.
“Thailand,” he said, “has always shown its readiness to assist when needed. We have consistently emphasized that solutions should come from within Myanmar, and we encourage that approach. That’s why we’ve provided a platform for internal consultations [in ASEAN]. Some refer to it as the ‘Troika Plus,’ which includes the past, present and future ASEAN chairs — Indonesia, Laos and Malaysia — along with other ASEAN member countries involved in the peace process. Ultimately, it’s about facilitating dialogue, which will take place in Thailand.”
Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin emphasized the importance of upholding international law.
“The crisis not only brings suffering to the people of Myanmar, but it also poses a threat to regional stability,” he said.
Amin reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to the Five-Point Consensus while calling for increased humanitarian assistance. He also highlighted the need to resolve the Rohingya issue as part of addressing the broader Myanmar crisis.
Indonesia has seen an influx of thousands of Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar since 2017, many of whom have died attempting the treacherous journey by sea.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed frustration about the lack of progress in addressing the Myanmar crisis.
“We are firmly behind the ASEAN proposal of the Five-Point Consensus,” he told reporters outside the meeting room. “But we have not been very successful in actually changing the situation. We are trying to formulate new strategies, and that’s what we will be discussing.”
Summit’s regional dynamics
The summit saw participation from many ASEAN country leaders, including the sultan of Brunei and the prime ministers of Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Despite efforts by this year’s chair, Laos, to engage Myanmar in the talks, no clear solution to the crisis has emerged. Myanmar remains a daunting challenge to the region’s stability.
Myanmar’s presence at the summit, although controversial, is seen as progress by some. Countries such as Thailand, Laos and Cambodia have long advocated for its inclusion in the meetings as a practical matter to make Myanmar “more presentable” as a member of ASEAN and to facilitate humanitarian aid entering the country.
“In a sense, they are accepting the Five-Point Consensus. They may have thought that it’s better to have their own voice heard rather than be on the outside,” one diplomat told Agence France-Presse. Myanmar’s representative, Aung Kyaw Moe, however, remained silent, refusing to answer reporters’ questions.
Inadequate implementation
Many Southeast Asian leaders have criticized Myanmar’s implementation of the Five-Point Consensus as “substantially inadequate.” The junta has continued its violent crackdown on dissent and has been accused of widespread atrocities, including bombing of civilians, torture of political prisoners and journalists, and even genocide.
Malaysia’s incoming ASEAN chair, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, underscored that “we have to approach everybody in Myanmar,” signaling a possible shift toward broader dialogue as the bloc seeks to resolve the conflict.
Assuming the helm of ASEAN next year, Malysia faces a daunting set of challenges, including a rise in transnational crime, growing food instability and humanitarian crises in the region, largely because of the conflict in Myanmar.
An ASEAN diplomat, who requested anonymity and attended the ASEAN-China Summit, told VOA, “In general terms, some ASEAN member countries reiterated their support for the Five-Point Consensus and urged China to play a role in working with ASEAN to find a solution, given China’s influence as a neighboring country. However, there were no specific details provided regarding China’s involvement.”
