Asean leaders to meet over Myanmar in Jakarta, bloc chair Brunei says

Brunei, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), on Monday threw its support behind a regional leaders’ meeting to discuss developments in Myanmar, and says it has asked officials to prepare for a meeting in Jakarta. Indonesia has led efforts by members of Asean, to which Myanmar belongs, to encourage a negotiated solution, despite a long-standing policy of not commenting on each other’s domestic problems. In a joint statement with Malaysia, Brunei said both countries had asked their ministers and senior officials to undertake “necessary preparations for the meeting that will be held at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia”. The statement followed a meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Monday. Myanmar workers forgo wages in anti-coup strikes as calls for Suu Kyi’s release continue “Both leaders agreed for Asean leaders to meet to discuss the ongoing developments in Myanmar,” it said, without giving a date for the meeting. Both leaders also expressed concern over the rising number of fatalities in Myanmar. “They urged all parties to refrain from instigating further violence, and for all sides to immediately exercise utmost restraint and flexibility,” the statement said. Asean operates by consensus, but the divergent views of its 10 members on how to respond to the Myanmar army’s use of lethal force against civilians – and the group’s policy of non-interference – has limited its ability to act. Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore have all expressed alarm over the killings of demonstrators, and support an urgent high-level meeting on Myanmar. Their foreign ministers each separately held talks last week with their counterpart in China, Myanmar’s influential northern neighbour. Myanmar has been in crisis since a February 1 military coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Activists say at least 557 people have since been killed in a crackdown by security forces on protests and strikes across the country, where the junta has restricted internet access. International pressure is mounting on multinationals to cut ties with the junta, with Myanmar communities in Asian countries also calling on governments to take action. On Monday, two prominent pro-democracy activists from South Korea’s thriving Myanmar community asked Seoul to push the international community to stop the bloodbath and set up refugee camps for those fleeing the violence. Myanmar crisis: don’t wait for UN Security Council nod to punish junta, Suu Kyi ally and experts say “We appreciate statements from foreign countries condemning the coup and the military junta in Myanmar. But what we need now is action, not statements,” said Soe Moe Thu, co-chairman of the Myanmar Democracy Network (MDN) in Korea. Yan Naing Htun, National League for Democracy Korea Branch leader, echoed criticism of China’s muted response to the military regime and said Beijing was doing so to keep its strategic and commercial interests in Myanmar. China has said that it prioritises stability in Myanmar, but has stressed that external parties should not interfere in another country’s internal situation. Both Soe and Yan are on the military’s wanted list of fugitives after they collected funds worth 300 million won (US$265,000) and sent the sum to help public sector workers in Myanmar who have gone on strike to put pressure on the junta. They met Governor Lee Jae-myung of South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province last month and have also spoken to politicians and government officials in the country about helping people in Myanmar. Gyeonggi, which surrounds Seoul, is home to some 40 per cent of the estimated 25,000 Myanmar people working in South Korea. Seoul has imposed export restrictions on military goods to Myanmar, including tear gas; suspended defence exchanges; and put a hold on development assistance to the Southeast Asian nation. It exported tear gas in 2014 and 2015 and shipped military trucks to Myanmar in 2018. The last time South Korea exported military goods to Myanmar was in January 2019. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a former human rights lawyer, last month condemned the violent crackdown on protests in Myanmar and called for the release of Suu Kyi. “Use of violence against the people of Myanmar must stop now. There should not be any more loss of lives,” Moon said in a social media post. In late February, South Korea’s National Assembly also passed a resolution denouncing the military coup as a “serious defiance of democracy”. Amid Myanmar’s post-coup violence, there is one township in Yangon that ‘scares the military’ It also expressed support for the people in Myanmar who have been fighting the coup and demanding the restoration of democracy, while the resolution also voiced deep concerns over the safety and freedom of some 3,500 South Koreans currently living in the Southeast Asian nation. Gyeonggi Governor Lee drew a parallel between the crackdowns in Myanmar and the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, during which some 160 pro-democracy protesters were killed by troops, while another 70 are missing. “Myanmar is Gwangju of four decades ago. It represents an unpardonable challenge to civilisation to overturn a democratically elected government and set up a military junta,” Lee said when he met the two Burmese activists last month. Besides holding a photo exhibition, the province is also considering the provision of emergency relief supplies to Myanmar in preparation for a large-scale influx of refugees into camps as violence escalates in the country. In 2019, South Korea provided a total of US$90 million worth of aid to Myanmar, according to government officials. Seoul has also said it will allow Myanmar citizens in South Korea to extend their stays, and it will not repatriate those who have overstayed their visas.